Everton are expected to lose Jarrad Branthwaite this summer, but they have a high-quality successor in mind.
Jarrad Branthwaite’s progress has been a bright spot in an otherwise bleak season at Goodison Park. As Everton battles relegation and behind-the-scenes issues, the towering centre-half has risen in stature and delivered a succession of outstanding performances. The bad news is that he may not be around much longer.
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have both been linked with a move for Branthwaite, who has been one of England’s best young players this season, and even if Everton survives, they will face a difficult battle to retain their best young players, including the 21-year-old.
The likelihood of Branthwaite’s departure is presumably the reason that Everton have reportedly started sniffing around Hull City’s star centre-back Jacob Greaves, who at the age of 23 has already made more than 200 appearances for the Tigers. But as rumours of a summer move intensify, what do Everton fans need to know about Greaves, and can he be a difference-maker like the man he might replace?
The son of former Hull defender Mark Greaves, Jacob quickly rose through the youth ranks and became a regular in the 2020/21 season when Hull earned promotion from League One, when he was named the club’s young player of the year – as he would be for three consecutive seasons. He has since stood in as captain on occasions and established himself as one of most reliable defenders in the Championship.
As a replacement for Branthwaite, he would be close to like-for-like. Like Branthwaite he is tall and strong, variously listed as either 6’3” or 6’4”, and an imposing presence at the back who very rarely loses an aerial battle and is exceptional at set pieces. Greaves is also used to operating on the left-hand side of a central pairing and can play at left-back when required, giving him some useful versatility.
He also has impressive anticipation and makes a significant number of clearances by getting into the path of crosses and through balls, and his tackling is improving – he was perhaps too aggressive in the tackle early on in his career, but his judgement has improved significantly over the last year or so. In other words, Greaves excels in the more traditional aspects of defense, much as Branthwaite does.
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