In just under three months’ time, the attention of the football world will switch from club to national team interests as Euro 2024 kicks off in Germany. One of the bookmakers’ favourites are England and with a wealth of exciting talent at manager Gareth Southgate’s disposal, the Three Lions are expected to do well at the tournament.
By Nathan Evans
From Manchester City’s Phil Foden and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka out wide, to Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham in the middle of the park, few nations have produced better talent over the past decade, but in defence, England are currently lacking a true stand-out young star. With Southgate favourite Harry Maguire somewhat struggling for Manchester United – albeit he’s always performed admirably for his county – and others such as Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa, Milan’s Fikayo Tomori and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi seemingly not favoured as much by the ex-Middlesbrough boss, there’s undoubtedly an opening on the left-hand side ready to be seized upon.
With plenty of stand-out performances under his belt this season with Everton, that spot could prove to be Jarrad Branthwaite’s to snatch in the coming years.
Coming through the academy at Carlisle United, in his hometown, the now 21-year-old only made nine first-team appearances for the Cumbrian outfit before the Toffees swooped in to bring him to Goodison Park. In a deal worth around £1m – plus a percentage of any future profit if he’s sold by Everton – there’s no doubt that the transfer represents one of the best value for money singings in recent league history, especially given the fact that this season, Branthwaite has played 31 times in all competitions for the Merseyside outfit during his break-out campaign.
In fact, as of the 14th of March, only Burnley’s James Trafford and Bournemouth’s Illia Zabarnyi have played more minutes this season in the Premier League amongst players aged 21 or under. That represents just why Branthwaite is viewed as one of the best defensive prospects in England at present, and why several of the biggest clubs across the continent are now tracking his progress, including Real Madrid and Manchester United.
Standing at 6″5′ ft., not only is Branthwaite powerful from a physical stand-point, but he’s also blessed with quick pace for a central defender. His large frame allows him to win aerial duels frequently, whilst his agility – despite his height – sees him regularly take the ball under control and burst towards midfield if the situation allows. Having the ability to seemingly ‘do it all’ means that the former Carlisle man can additionally read the game extremely well for a defender of his age, especially in his own box, which has helped Everton to concede just 39 goals in 29 league matches this term.
In essence, what’s stood out most in the 21-year-old’s performance so far this season has been the maturity he’s shown beyond his years. That’s been exceptionally true defensively, where he’s quickly established himself as the left-sided centre back for Sean Dyche’s side. In fact, in the Premier League when ranked amongst all other players in his position league-wide, Branthwaite ranks very highly in all the basic areas needed. With 27 successful tackles, 133 duels won, 41 interceptions made and 144 ball recoveries logged, he sits amongst the top 5% of all central defenders in the competition, with his possession won stat sitting as the highest amongst all Everton players this campaign.
There’s also the added extra level to his game in terms of winning aerial battles, clocking in 65 such duels won this campaign which highlights him as a central defender who can seemingly thrive in any area necessary on the field.
As well as his defensive duties though, Branthwaite exudes a cool and calm demeaner when in possession of the ball. In truth, it’s this part of his game that likely appeals most to the ‘bigger’ clubs that are reportedly set to fight it out for his signature during the upcoming summer transfer window. Not only is he incredibly tidy on the ball overall, but he rarely looks panicked when picking out passes either to his fellow defenders around him or into the midfield. His 79.42% passing accuracy is the current fourth-highest of any Everton player in the Premier League this term and when you consider his wide array of passing, that’s an impressive feat. That’s because alongside the simple passes that he completes, Branthwaite has additionally recorded 52 successful long passes – the third-most for his side – and has attempted 98 passes into the final third to boot.
On top of that, his ability to advance up the pitch whilst in possession, due to his advanced ability to dribble with the ball, also adds another string to his bow, and again, will be of particular interest to those elite sides in Europe who would rely on his skillset if they were to make a move for him this summer.
Of course, there are improvements that need to and likely will be made to take Branthwaite to the next level. Most of those are based upon gaining more and more playing time which will, in turn, build experience and will help the 21-year-old to shine even further. Although he’s shown a high level of defensive maturity, as mentioned before, his attempt to stop Erling Haaland earlier in the season, during a one-on-one battle highlighted that he is still a young defender in the Premier League, as he was brushed aside too easily after getting himself into an uncomfortable position. There’s also other small adjustments that need to be made to his game to reach the very top, namely not to go to ground too easily, but again, those weaknesses should be nullified further by getting more and more appearances under his belt.
Now announced in the England squad for the first time by Southgate for his country’s upcoming pre-Euro 2024 friendly matches against Belgium and Brazil, Jarrad Branthwaite’s immediate ambition will be to gain some valuable minutes for the Three Lions. Beyond that, the sky genuinely seems to be the limit for Everton’s 21-year-old defender.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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