As Ange Postecoglou comes to the end of his first season as Tottenham Hotspur manager, he can look back on a job fairly well done.
A couple of poor performances and results aside, the Lilywhites have improved immeasurably under the Australian.
That’s no mean feat when it’s considered that one of the first things to happen in his tenure was the loss of talisman Harry Kane.
Postecoglou has recommended Jarrad Branthwaite
Fortunately, his level-headedness and pragmatism ensured that the England captain’s absence from the Spurs squad wasn’t as keenly felt as it might otherwise have been.
A way of playing football that harks back to the halcyon days of Hoddle, Waddle, Ardiles and Villa also quickly got the locals onside.
In short, Postecoglou has earned the respect of the Tottenham fan base whilst simultaneously gaining the trust of Daniel Levy and the board.
To that end, any recommendations that he makes need to be given due consideration.
According to TeamTalk, the manager has suggested that Tottenham consider the purchase of Everton’s £70m-rated Jarrad Branthwaite.
The youngster has long interested Man United, and Spurs’ potential interest in his services could scupper a move to the Red Devils for a player who is very highly regarded.
What appears clear is that Branthwaite won’t be plying his trade at Everton after this season, whether or not they stay in the Premier League – something that isn’t guaranteed at this late stage of the 2023/24 campaign.
From Branthwaite’s point of view he has kept his own counsel, refusing to comment on any speculation and instead preferring to dedicate himself to helping the Toffees out of the relegation mire.
Despite being deducted points for falling foul of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules, Everton are still just about keeping their heads above water and their immediate future is in their own hands.