Jarrad Branthwaite rejected terms and conditions and insisted leaving due to..

Jarrad Branthwaite has not made an issue at Everton over leaving the club during a “testing summer” for the defender, according to The Guardian.

The paper reported via their website on 8 August that the England international had been through a difficult offseason after being “surprisingly” left out of Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2024 and a preseason injury.

But after a pair of bids from Manchester United he is said to have “not kicked up a fuss to leave, contrary to some reports”, with Sean Dyche “desperately hoping” the situation stays the same through the deadline.

The Daily Mail had claimed on 2 July that the 22-year-old was getting “agitated” over the lack of movement towards an exit to Old Trafford, and the same outlet had reported on 26 July that he was refusing to sign a new contract at Goodison unless he was given the £160,000-a-week on offer at United.

Sean Dyche desperate for Jarrad Branthwaite Everton stay

Jake O’Brien’s arrival from Lyon has guarded the Toffees from an unplanned Branthwaite departure causing a nightmare in defence.

But Dyche would far rather to have three strong options to choose from with James Tarkowski and capable cover if one is injured.

It appears that barring some sort of financial developments outside of the manager and the players’ control that is what he will get.

If an offer that met the £70million asking price suddenly arrived from Old Trafford before the deadline that would probably change matters, but if INEOS weren’t making that size of offer previously it would be a surprise if they did after signing Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkee.

What is more concerning from a Toffees perspective is the uncertainty around the ownership situation in the wake of Dan Friedkin’s takeover collapsing.