Trending: “£15m-£20m” – Hull City star replaces Everton key Man exit

If Jarrad Branthwaite leaves the Merseyside club this summer, former England international Carlton Palmer believes that Everton will see Jacob Greaves of Hull City as the perfect replacement.

The likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Real Madrid are reportedly interested in signing Branthwaite, so it appears the 21-year-old won’t be short on suitors come summertime.

Everton has naturally started considering possible alternatives as some of the biggest teams in the world of football vie for the defender’s signature. Greaves seems to be near the top of that list.

This season, the 23-year-old has been a vital component of the Tigers’ defence. He has also led the team on several occasions and turned heads at some elite clubs with his exploits.

Palmer feels that Greaves was meant to play in the Premier League.

Throughout his playing career, Palmer made over 250 Premier League appearances for different clubs, and the former midfielder thinks Greaves has what it takes to go in the same direction.

Palmer, in an exclusive interview with Football League World, stated:

“Everton is beginning to prepare for the possibility that they will lose their gifted center-back Jarrod Branthwaite during the summer transfer window.

Everton is focusing on other players they can sign because teams like Manchester United are vying for the gifted left-sided player.

Hull’s Jacob Greaves is one such player. The tall, left-handed young centre back, who is only 23 years old, is athletic and at ease in possession. Hull is doing incredibly well, and he is enjoying another terrific season with them.”

The former Sheffield Wednesday player thinks that because of Greaves’ potential, the Tigers need to get promoted in order to hold onto the defender.

“Hull will need to make a sizable offer for him to leave, as his contract expires in the summer of 2026,” Palmer stated. “But the problem that they’ve got is that if Hull don’t get promoted to the Premier League, and they’re not going to do that automatically, they’ve got a chance of being in the play-offs, then the player will want to go and play at a higher level.”

Given Greaves’ contract circumstances, a substantial sum might be required, but Everton—who are rumoured to be holding out for £100 million—is unlikely to be put off.

Palmer went on: “This player is destined to play at the highest level, so you would think that the offer would have to be in the region of £15m–£20m for Hull to do business.” He is incredibly athletic, skilled with the ball, at ease, and capable of playing at the greatest level.

“Unfortunately, I believe Hull will play in the Premier League next season, either for Everton or someone else, if Hull doesn’t get promoted.”

Greaves, who was up in the Cottingham area and joined the academy at the age of eight, has close ties to Hull.

He is still a young defender, but he has already made 169 appearances for the Tigers, starting 35 Championship games this season and playing every minute of them.

His current trajectory indicates that he will soon have to push himself to new limits. If Hull is not promoted to the Premier League, that test will probably come in the shape of a transfer to another team, even if it would entail a painful farewell.

Championship Table (As it stands March 7th)

Hull can still realistically aim for promotion.

With Norwich City and Coventry City both three points ahead of them below, the Tigers are currently positioned at the bottom of the play-off spots

.

 

Team

 

P

 

GD

 

Pts

 

1

 

Leicester City

 

36

 

41

 

81

 

2

 

Ipswich Town

 

36

 

26

 

78

 

3

 

Leeds United

 

36

 

38

 

76

 

4

 

Southampton

 

35

 

24

 

70

 

5

 

West Brom

 

36

 

18

 

60

 

6

 

Hull City

 

36

 

7

 

57

 

7

 

Norwich City

 

36

 

7

 

55

 

8

 

Coventry City

 

36

 

15

 

54

The four teams vying for an automatic promotion slot have started to separate themselves from the rest of the field, but Hull has a chance to advance to the play-offs if they can hold onto or gain ground on their present standing.

They will face competition from two of the top four automatic chasers in the play-offs, which might make it challenging to secure the final promotion spot. However, as past experiences have shown, the play-offs are a lottery, and the favourite rarely emerges victorious.

Hull’s best hope of holding onto Greaves appears to be securing promotion, which gives the Tigers even more motivation to give it their all in what looks like a fierce final push.

 

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