Everton manager Sean Dyche hopes to keep hold of Jarrad Branthwaite this summer but conceded the club’s financial situation may force them into selling if the price is right.
Branthwaite was priced out of a move earlier this summer after agreeing personal terms to join Manchester United. The Reds moved on to other targets before signing Leny Yoro from Lille and Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich.
The Toffees understandably value Branthwaite as their most prized asset, but United were not going to have their pants pulled down like in previous years.
United had two bids rejected by Everton and the 22-year-old looks set to remain at Goodsion Park for another year at least.
Dyche has conceded that the club would still have to consider letting go of any of their prized assets should a sufficient offer be made before the transfer deadline.
“I’m confident that the club are going to do the best they can to make sure we’re competitive but equally the club’s got an outside picture which is quite obvious and that’s not something that I can control,” Dyche said when asked about interest in his best players, as quoted by The Metro.
Everton have already cashed in on midfielder Amadou Onana, who joined Aston Villa in a transfer worth £50m, but they could yet to be forced to sell more players.
He added: “They do need to balance the finances better, we’ve done a lot of work with that since I’ve been here, and Kev [Thelwell] obviously is included in that, on the playing side to bring money in and lower the wage bill.
“We’ve done a pretty fair job I would say of that but the bigger picture of the club is dependent on what money is needed at any given time.”
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