Whisper it quietly, but things are starting to fall into place at Goodison Park. Everton are far from out of the woods concerning their ownership situation and the fears surrounding breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability (PSR) rules have not faded away entirely.

Still, with Lewis Dobbin and Ben Godfrey recently sold, focus has been turned to bringing in fresh faces, with reports suggesting that the Toffees are among the Premier League clubs interested in signing Hull City winger Jaden Philogene.

The 22-year-old Philogene has been praised for his "unbelievable" performances by The Second Tier podcast host Justin Peach, and for the mooted £16m price tag, it could be a steal for the Merseysiders as they look to build a team tailored for success.

Indeed, last term the tricky winger found the net on 12 occasions, further registering six assists. Simply, this would be a superb signing for the Toffees.

However, while Everton are hoping to bring in talented targets such as Philogene, retaining the services of the top talents in the current crop is arguably way more important.

There's even one, who like the Hull star, had an earlier education in the EFL.

Jarrad Branthwaite's transfer situation

You never know, Jarrad Branthwaite might still be plying his trade on Merseyside's blue half next season, with Everton's shrewd transfer dealings over the past several weeks mitigating PSR concerns.

The Toffees know all too well the dangers of breaching the Premier League's financial boundaries, having being hit with an eight-point deduction last season. Despite this, the dreaded dotted line remained safely in the distance and the Toffees avoided the depths of the division.

Fans hope to see some greater attacking intent but know that sustaining Dyche's steely base is imperative to any success, and retaining Branthwaite's services would go a long way toward achieving this.

Manchester United failed with a lowball £35m offer earlier this summer but recent developments suggest that a £160k-per-week contract has been agreed between the Red Devils and the player.

However, Everton are holding out for much, much more, serving as a glowing representation of Branthwaite's rise to the forefront of the defensive game.

Jarrad Branthwaite's market value in 2024

A veritable wall at 6 foot 5, Branthwaite played an instrumental role in Everton's successful 2023/24 campaign, forging a rock-sold partnership with James Tarkowski and keeping 12 clean sheets across 35 Premier League matches.

He also ranked among the top 20% of centre-backs in the English top flight last season for tackles, the top 15% for interceptions and the top 18% for aerial duels won per 90, as per FBref, backing up the claim of talent scout Jacek Kulig that he is an "absolute monster".

If that's not enough, the England international also came out on top in 68% of his contested duels, making 5.9 ball recoveries per game to emphasise his robust athleticism.

This all comes together to form the archetype for a pretty brilliant defender, and it's hardly a surprise that Manchester United have a vested interest in his signature after observing such skills over the past year.

For that reason, Everton are probably justified in demanding that they are presented with an £80m proposal if they are to part with their talent. That's quite the fee for a player who arrived from Carlisle United in 2020.

That lofty valuation actually marks Branthwaite as five times more valuable than the earlier-mentioned Philogene, who is a highly sought-over talent in the Premier League right now.

This shows just how good Everton's prized defender really is. The outfit's record sale still stands as Man United's £75m signing of Romelu Lukaku in 2017, and there's a good chance that Branthwaite could pip the Belgium to top spot with a move to Old Trafford.

Everton won't want to sell their jewel, but regardless, Branthwaite is truly one of the glittering gems on the Premier League scene - his club have hit the jackpot and then some, whatever happens next.