Chelsea Eye £70m England Star Jarrad Branthwaite in Summer Swoop – But Everton David Moyes Is Not Letting Go Easily

Chelsea are seriously considering a summer swoop for Everton’s highly-rated centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite – but they could face strong resistance from Toffees boss David Moyes.

According to reports from mail sport, Chelsea are now the frontrunners to land the 22-year-old defender after Manchester United had multiple offers turned down for him last year. United saw bids as high as £45 million plus £5m in add-ons rejected, with Everton sticking firmly to their £70 million valuation.

Now, the Blues could pounce, and they have a key advantage – Champions League football. It’s believed that Branthwaite is eager to play at the highest level and would prefer a club competing in Europe’s top competition, something that gives Chelsea the upper hand over United.

However, Everton manager David Moyes is far from ready to let the talented centre-back go. With James Tarkowski recovering from hamstring surgery, losing Branthwaite would leave Everton short of experienced options at the back.

Meanwhile, Everton are working on a few deals of their own. They are finalising a new contract with veteran midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye and are also in talks with Flamengo over a move for Carlos Alcaraz.

Branthwaite has been on the radar of top clubs ever since making his England debut last June. Despite that big milestone, he was surprisingly left out of Gareth Southgate’s most recent squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Manchester United had been long-time admirers and were even expected to return for the defender this summer. But after Lisandro Martinez’s season-ending ACL injury and Harry Maguire turning 32, their strategy might now change again. Earlier this year, it was believed that United had shifted their focus to cheaper defensive options due to budget constraints. In January, they spent around £30m on other players including wing-back Patrick Dorgu and teenage defender Ayden Heaven.

Branthwaite, however, remains one of the brightest young defenders in England, and with Chelsea ready to refresh their backline this summer, his name is once again top of the list.