Everton’s youth production has slowed down dramatically in recent years, but that’s not to suggest that they still do not boast some supremely promising individuals within their academy setup.
After all, national media in Germany rushed to laud one striker just last month, before many fans have since been left stunned by one recent performance from a young defensive starlet.
All eyes this season have been on Jarrad Branthwaite’s remarkable rise, having taken to the English top flight with immense ease.
However, it feels like there is a quiet resignation that he will soon depart, both for the good of his career and the club’s finances.
Fortunately, if Friday’s U21s match is anything to go by, Sean Dyche might be blessed with an instant replacement for the 21-year-old ace.
Will Jarrad Branthwaite leave Everton this summer?
If Branthwaite is to depart this summer, there is hope that the young centre-back will fetch an astronomical fee to potentially pull the club out of their financial black hole.
For years now the Premier League’s use of PSR has left the Toffees completely hamstrung, forced to count every penny, offload every star man and even then receive two deductions for their troubles.
They need something dramatic to break this vicious cycle, and in Branthwaite they might just have a get-out-of-jail-free card.
After all, the former Carlisle United star is a wanted man, with Manchester United, Arsenal and even Real Madrid all having been linked with a move, just to name a few.
The more who show interest, the higher the potential fee could reach too, which should leave Dyche and Kevin Thelwell feeling confident of securing Everton’s long-term future.
However, a replacement will be needed, ideally one for a cut price.
Therefore, it might be time to give Tyler Onyango a go.
Tyler Onyango could break through soon
Having come up through the academy as a central midfielder, and made all of his four senior appearances in that role, of late the 21-year-old starlet seems to have reverted into a centre-back role.
It is one that makes perfect sense given his physical profile, standing at a towering 6 foot 3, yet boasting the technical proficiency of an industrious midfielder.
Such a fusion of talents could prove pivotal in helping him adjust to senior football, and his performance against Blackburn Rovers’ U21s on Friday only helped emphasise that.
He was calm and composed in possession, but read the game excellently and used his power to dominate when called upon.
Whilst the match may have been dominated by Arnaut Danjuma’s return to action, Onyango arguably stole the show for those in attendance.
Such is his quality, even Tim Cahill was left feeling proud as he made his first-team debut back in 2021, writing on Twitter: ‘So proud of these two players Tyler Onyango and Thierry Small @Everton. Congratulations to both making debuts in the 1st team’.
With the same physical frame and technical quality that has made Branthwaite so revered at Goodison Park, perhaps Onyango might benefit from a similar loan treatment in order to refine him into the replacement they will likely need very soon…