However, those running things at the Etihad believe there are striking similarities between Branthwaite and former Everton ace John Stones, who is of course now a City player and one of the best in the league after making the move to Manchester in 2016. City are not alone in their interest though and local rivals United are also keen admirers of Branthwaite. The same can be said for fellow Premier League outfit Tottenham, while Spanish titans Real Madrid have also been touted with a move for the former Carlisle talent. Everton have made their stance clear regarding any potential Branthwaite transfer, Sean Dyche’s side want at least £60million before parting ways with the centre-back. Branthwaite’s stock is only likely to rise if he does feature for his country on Tuesday night. That figure could be enough to deter the likes of United and Spurs, who have more pressing positions to address. With that being said, City could comfortably meet such a fee and could actually be doing Everton aa favour in the process. Earlier this season, the Toffees were deducted 10 points after being found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules. That deduction was later reduced to six, but Everton remain somewhat hamstrung financially. Branthwaite is undeniably the club’s most sellable asset at this time, given his age and the fact he is a homegrown talent. The back end of last year saw Branthwaite put pen to paper on a four-year contract extension, tying him to Goodison Park until the summer of 2027. In turn, Everton are in no danger of being cornered into selling him on the cheap any time soon. The club are on the verge of being taken over by controversial US fund 777 Partners. The process has been delayed after concerns that the company did not have sufficient fresh capital, but a full agreement and sale is expected soon.
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