Everton defender Branthwaite agrees to Manchester United

There have been almost daily press reports and rumors that the Everton star could be on his way down the M62 from Merseyside to Manchester very soon.

Now comes a report from the BBC that United have agreed personal terms with the young England international.

However, the same story says the Blues want at least £80m for Branthwaite, a price United are very reluctant to meet.

Everton are under huge financial pressure as everyone – including, of course, the Old Trafford club – knows all too well and must sell players this summer to avoid another possible PSR breach and help balance the books.

Meanwhile, there is still no certainty over the club’s future owner, with interested parties circling as Farhad Moshiri considers his options.

Although last night’s news could mean that could change sooner than anticipated. However, again there is no certainty that this will happen or how long it will take to complete.

All of this puts the Toffees in a very vulnerable position and leaves them with little leverage when it comes to negotiating in the transfer market.

An £80m price tag, while on the high end, is not unreasonable given Branthwaite’s youth, talent and the outstanding campaign he had last season.

That said, and while Everton could hold out for such a fee, there could be another option to consider as Kevin Thelwell and Sean Dyche try to find ways to strengthen an already ugly squad, but without too many money to do so.

And United have financial pressures with no Champions League football next season and are also believed to be close to breaching the PSR, so there is a need for them to sell as well.

With all of this in mind, United do not want to pay more than around £50m for the 21-year-old nicknamed ‘Carlise Kaiser’ for his imperious displays at the heart of the Blues defence.

It’s well below the value of a player who I’m sure many Everton supporters believe can become one of the best centre-backs in the game.

But, the Toffees are not in a strong negotiating position for all the reasons mentioned above.

So could they consider a player plus a cash offer, and if so, who would they want from the group United want to offload?

One player Everton have been linked with in the past who would fit the mold of Dyche’s individual likes perfectly is Scott McTominay.

The Scotland international – who played in last night’s Euro opener with Germany – is a strong defensive midfielder who can also score goals and would provide a decent long-term replacement for both Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana.

For various reasons, neither will be at Goodison Park for long. Gueye is 34 years old and although his contract extension has been activated, it is only for one more year and he cannot continue to perform at this level forever.

Meanwhile, it seems almost certain that Onana will be sold this summer, with Arsenal reportedly making a move for the Belgian star.

Everton have been rumored to be keen to sign Kalvin Phillips – who is similar to McTominay – but while a loan deal for him could be possible, he has struggled recently and has played little top-flight football.

Another United player to consider could be Mason Mount. He’s also a solid defensive player in the middle of the park, but offers even more of an attacking threat, at least in theory.

The Englishman’s career has stalled at Old Trafford and perhaps a chance to kick-start it at Everton could appeal.

I’m not saying this is necessarily the route the Toffees should go, but it might make sense to consider it as an option – if they can get the right player – with Branthwaite’s sale looking increasingly likely to happen this summer.