Everton have set their sights on Hull City‘s Jacob Greaves as they look to identify potential replacements for key centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, according to The Mirror.
The Toffees are well-aware that they face a battle to retain the services of their 21-year-old star this summer. The former Carlisle United youngster has become a mainstay of Sean Dyche’s back line and has reportedly caught the eye of a number of top teams, including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Real Madrid.
Under contract at Goodison Park until 2027, the potential future England star won’t come cheap, but that won’t stop his potential suitors lining up for his signature at the end of the season.
Everton are fighting to retain their Premier League status, although were handed a boost last week when their 10-point deduction was reduced to six upon appeal. As a result, they moved out of the bottom three.
Following the success of Branthwaite, the Merseysiders are looking once again to the EFL in search of another potential gem. It is said that Hull City’s Jacob Greaves has been identified and the nine-time English champions are keeping tabs on his progress on Humberside.
The 23-year-old has previously been linked to Crystal Palace and West Ham United after becoming a key component of Liam Rosenior’s side. Rising through the club’s academy, his first taste of senior football came during the 2019/20 season, where he enjoyed a successful loan stint at then-League Two outfit Cheltenham Town.
He returned to the MKM Stadium the following season, nailing down a starting berth as Hull secured the League One title. He hasn’t looked back since and has acted as a stand-in captain throughout the course of the current season as the Tigers continue to hunt down a place in the play-offs and a potential spot in the top tier themselves.
Greaves current deal runs until 2026, but the report states that the East Yorkshire club’s chances of retaining his services could hinge on whether they can achieve promotion. They currently sit in the final play-off place in sixth, one point above Norwich City.
Writer’s View
Hull know they have a star in their hands in Jacob Greaves, although they will not be too concerned with these latest rumours. It’s not unusual for the Championship’s top performing teams to attract Premier League interest in their key stars and it isn’t the first time that the defender has earned admirers.
Liam Rosenior is building something at the MKM Stadium. Being a local lad, it is likely he will want to remain at the club and be a part of that, rather than join a Premier League club that is expected to struggle at the bottom half of the table. However, his dream of playing in the top tier could still be realised with his boyhood team.
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