Everton star won't force United move at least for now

According to one report today, Branthwaite is content to stay put at Everton this summer and will not try and force the club to sell him to the Old Trafford club.

The saga over the England defenders future has been rumbling on ever since the season finished with repeated claims United were determined to get Branthwaite but were not prepared to pay the fee the Blues were asking.

Eventually, they made a £35 million bid for him, which was immediately turned down by the Toffees and considered to be a derisory bid for arguably the best young centre-back in the Premier League.

United then switched their attention to Dutch defender Mathijs de Ligt who Bayern Munich seem more than ready to sell.

As for the Blues the club are it seems determined to do all they can to keep Branthwaite and have been strengthened by the unexpected sales of Lewis Dobbin and then Ben Godfrey.

Those two deals generated approximately £20 million critical funds in their battle against a possible third PSR breach and points deductions.

Everton might still not be able to get round the regulations as that will to some extent depend on whether the club can win their case about the interest paid on loans for the new stadium build.

Regardless of this, it is probable that the Toffees will probably sell at least one of their star players with Branthwaite and Amadou Onana the two obviously most valuable potential targets.

So, I would expect further bids for Branthwaite as the summer goes on and it is still an open question whether he will be a Blues player when the final campaign at the Grand Old Lady begins in August.