Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite will have a major say in deciding his future in January with PSV fearing that he will break his loan with them early due to a lack of playing time.
Branthwaite was reunited with former Everton director of football Marcel Brands – the man who brought the 20-year-old centre-back to Goodison Park from his home city club Carlisle United in January 2020 – when he joined PSV on a season-long loan on July 17.
However, Branthwaite, who has made 13 senior appearances for the Blues, scoring one goal, has struggled to break into the Dutch club’s startling line-up so far. Despite netting in PSV’s dramatic 4-3 win over Feyenoord, the 6ft 5in player has started just three of the side’s 12 Eredivisie fixtures to date with a five-minute cameo off the bench at the end of the 3-0 victory over NEC Nijmegen on Sunday his only domestic outing in the last four games.
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Everton chiefs are eager for Branthwaite to be playing on a more regular basis given that was the reason to farm him out this season and the ECHO understands that there is a recall clause that would allow Kevin Thelwell to bring him back in the New Year and potentially send the youngster elsewhere with a potential return to the Championship – he played 10 games for Blackburn Rovers in the second half of the 2020/21 season – on the cards.
PSV are satisfied with Branthwaite’s development with their staff convinced of his qualities and they would like him to stay. But given that the player needs time to adapt, head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy, a prolific former Premier League star at Manchester United, has tended to prefer Armando Obispo in the Everton man’s position.
Given the doubts over Branthwaite’s future, PSV are looking for a possible replacement although their French defender Olivier Boscagli could return in January if his comeback from a long-term knee injury remains on schedule.
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