PSV Eindhoven have reportedly accepted that Jarrad Branthwaite will not be returning to the Eredivisie next season with Everton demanding a fee beyond their means for the Premier League loanee.
It was a tale of two loanees in Saturday’s Dutch Cup final victory over arch rivals Ajax.
Fabio Silva, who Wolves once paid £35 million for, slammed home the winning penalty after a tense and tetchy 120 minute encounter. He spared Branthwaite’s blushes too; the Everton-owned centre-half giving Ajax the lead in normal time after deflecting a Steven Bergwijn cross into his own net.
Will PSV loanee Jarrad Branthwaite return to Everton?
The 20-year-old’s form has, at least, been pretty impressive for the most part since joining PSV last summer on a season-long deal.
The one-time Carlisle United youngster has reportedly caught the eye of Manchester United, Bayern Munich and even Liverpool, even if Everton are highly unlikely to accept any bids from their neighbours from the other side of Stanley Park.
PSV boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, meanwhile, is making no secret of his desire to keep the England U21 international at the Phillips Stadium.
“I told the previous technical director to sign Jarrad very quickly. And I say it now to the current one!” the Manchester United legend quips.
“Jarrad has really fought his way into the team. He got his chance and took it. I am satisfied. I see Jarrad as a key player, and that’s how we see him internally.
“It’s true that we may have competition in our attempts to keep Jarrad longer. Well, let him develop first.
“What is extremely important is that he is having a great time at PSV. That is a basic condition if we want to have a chance at all.”
Any ‘chance’ they may have had, however, appears to have gone up in smoke. According to the Einhoven Dagblad, PSV now accept that a permanent deal for Branthwaite is ‘unfeasible’. It is not certain how much Everton want. But the Toffees did reject a £15 million bid during the January transfer window.
Furthermore, given how defensively suspect Everton have looked for much of the current campaign, it is not hard to imagine that Branthwaite will have a big role to play at Goodison Park in the near future too.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
