EVERTON may need to sell Merseyside derby hero Jarrad Branthwaite before June 30 to beat another financial rap.
Sean Dyche would love the centre-back, 21, to stick around for another season at least.
But the club’s precarious position off the pitch makes it likely they will need to cash in on Branthwaite — even if the long-awaited takeover by 777 Partners goes ahead.
Manchester United are favourites to sign Branthwaite and will exploit Everton’s desperate need for cash before this season officially ends in June to force down their £80million valuation.
The Toffees have already been docked a total of eight points for breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules during the last two assessment periods.
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Selling Branthwaite before June 30 would ease pressure on the next set of accounts.
Everton are heavily in debt and are relying on 777 for funds to avoid entering administration.
Branthwaite scored the first goal in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Liverpool that just about guaranteed survival — and torpedoed the Reds’ title bid.
Toffees chiefs would prefer to sell other players such as midfielder Amadou Onana, 22.
But the reality is that Branthwaite is their most bankable asset and they have little room for manoeuvre.
Speaking after today's win, Sean Dyche said: “I'm incredibly pleased and proud. They are a group of players who have had knocks all season.
"Four out of five clean sheets and wins, with all the mounting noise after the Chelsea game, is incredible. The mentality of the players is fantastic. I'm super pleased and very proud.
"It has been an exhausting week for many reasons, with highs from the big win on Wednesday. The emotion that goes into that, I wondered how the players would respond.
"With our xG, we have been questioned about how many times we haven’t won games. It has paid us back [now].
"They [the players] have had a massive week. There is a lot of pressure and intensity on the week and [whether] you can do it again. In the second half, we controlled the game pretty well.”
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