Sources claim Dobbin sale eases PSR concerns as Everton hold firm over Branthwaite

According to these reports today Everton could well be able to avoid any further PSR breaches next season if Dobbin leaves for the Midlands club. This will be a game-changer.

Such an outcome would give the Blues much more wriggle room as they try and successfully navigate the summer transfer window while also ensuring the financial viability of the club long-term.

In addition, the Toffees are determined to resist any advances from Manchester United for Jarrad Branthwaite, especially if they have no immediate need now to sell the England star.

The Old Trafford club allegedly made an initial offer of £35 million for the centre-back, a bid which Everton immediately rejected as unacceptable as they value Branthwaite at around £70 million, at least.

Since then the almost daily rumours about a transfer have gone relatively quiet and United now seem ready to move on and pursue other more affordable targets.

Hopefully, this means the 21-year-old defensive standout will be staying for at least another season.

Another dimension to all this is the continuing news that American investor Dan Friedkin is moving closer to securing a takeover of Everton with the billionaire having now agreed an exclusivity period with Farhad Moshiri.

However, any deal between the two parties might well take a long time to finally complete given that Friedkin's bid also has to clear the hurdles of the football and financial authorities fit and proper ownership tests.

Meanwhile, the Toffees still need to attempt to strengthen a first-team squad that certainly needs improving, even though the team actually over-performed last season and would have finished comfortably mid-table but for those points deductions.

Everton have moved quickly to solve a potential gap in midfield if or when Amadou Onana - the other talented young player most likely to leave this summer - does go with the apparent signing of Villa's Tim Iroegbunam.

More signings will be needed, particularly to improve the Blues anemic attack that scored so few goals in the last Premier League campaign.

If the Toffees can offload Dobbin for a decent fee and then do sell Onana for something approaching the £50 million they want for the Belgian, then even if Friedkin's ownership bid takes longer than hoped for, the club can still strengthen adequately during this transfer window.