PSV are prepared to take “financial risks” to sign Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite despite their Champions League Playoff v Rangers hanging in the balance.
Rangers fans might remember now-Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, now 21, being linked to Ibrox back in 2019 during his time with Carlisle United.
As things would transpire the talented young defender would move to Goodison Park and, now back in Liverpool, he even played the entire match in their 1-0 home Premier League defeat to Wolves this weekend.
With things not so rosy on Merseyside, there has been substantial reporting surrounding a potential Jarrad Branthwaite move to PSV.
The centre-back spent last season on loan in the Netherlands and impressed with the Eredivisie side as they finished second in the table for a season successive season.
Manager Peter Bosz also admitted that PSV want to sign centre-back before the end of the window following the 2-2 Champions League playoff draw with Rangers.
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PSV to take Champions League risk on Jarrad Branthwaite
Now, reports coming out of the Netherlands have suggested that the Dutch club are preparing to take “financial risks” with the signing.
Whilst Jarrad Branthwaite cannot play in Wednesday night’s Eindhoven return v Rangers, the centre-back has been valued at £20m as cash-strapped Everton look to raise funds.
We don’t suspect PSV would be paying that much, it will take a substantial fee to sign Branthwaite given he’s contract to Everton until 2025.
According to established Dutch journalist Sjoerd Mossou of AD Sportsworld, in quotes attributed to the PSV Fans website, they could be about to gamble on paying it.
“It’s not that strange that PSV ends up at Branthwaite, is it?” Mossou is quoted.
“Wasn’t that boy quite reasonable? It makes it remarkable that Everton initially asked too much, and PSV is now trying again.
“In general, that applies to what PSV does. They clearly take financial risks, with the opportunities that are there: The play-off against Rangers and the two Champions League tickets.
“They take flight and spend quite a bit of money And Branthwaite would fit right in because it was too expensive to begin with.”
Having already invested north of £30m in their squad, it’s no wonder the notion PSV could spent eight figures on Jarrad Branthwaite seems bold to some.
We can’t say for definite if they’re being risky with the potential Champions League pot of gold that they’ll receive should they defeat Rangers.
But if the Ibrox club needed any more motivation – away from the PSV players – then the idea PSV is spending money before they’ve earned it might just be noted by the Rangers team.