Late last week, the fee for Newcastle youth target Jarrad Branthwaite was said to be £800k. While that is significant for a player so young, it could turn out to be a bargain if he can reach his full potential.
The 17-year-old has established himself as one of Carlisle’s center-back pairings this season while being scouted by many Premier League clubs as well as Celtic and Rangers.
Former Carlisle manager Steven Pressley had some high praise for the 6’4″ defender, and he thinks Branthwaite would be a steal at his current value. The News and Star have published the following comments from Pressley.
“Whatever they pay for him just now, they will make 20 times that down the line. He’s that good.
“He’s got everything you need to be a top defender. He’s six foot four, he’s quick, and he can absolutely play.
“You wouldn’t know what foot is his preferred one, really, because he’s so comfortable on the ball.
“For me, he is a future England international. No question about it. That’s how highly I rate him. He’ll go to the very top of the game.”
Newcastle had the right of first refusal for Branthwaite through the loan deal for Elias Sorensen. Though with Sorensen’s loan deal since being terminated, we doubt Newcastle would still have the right to match any bid for the young defender.
Everton reportedly had a bid of £500k plus add-ons rejected last week. It was then that his value of £800k was reportedly set.
We think Branthwaite would be a terrific signing for the Academy. He’s English and seems to have a very bright future ahead of him.
However, Newcastle have bigger priorities at the moment as we attempt to resolve the striker situation, which was not satisfactorily addressed in the summer.
Though with money available for Academy signings, we hope to see several players brought in this month. There were reports in December that Newcastle had signed Queens Park’s Reagan Thomson.
However, we have yet to hear anything official on the 16-year-old. Though the Chronicle reported yesterday that the signing is in progress and getting close to being completed.
106 comments so far
Rotonda heights
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:01 PM
Comment #1Welshie
You can do better than that my little ferret. Then again maybe not. In my opinion the only ones that didn’t work out under Rafa were Muto who Rafa didn’t even know about or what position he played, Murphy who was an unwanted compromise on youth after being refused Townsend and the massively priced 1.5M Lazaar!
As always you fail to mention the good signings made on a very tight budget, ie sometimes fielding a whole team costing less than Joelinton.
c-dog
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:02 PM
Comment #2No more calling rafa bad names or else jail will tell teacher
Jail for Ashley
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:02 PM
Comment #3Jib,
Ok then, so after three seasons of finishing in the bottom six and not making it past the QF do you think they would sack him and replace him with somebody who might actually go and win it?
Jail for Ashley
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:05 PM
Comment #4Rotonda,
I wouldn’t even give him the time of day, there was a spell earlier when about half a dozen of his posts were ignored, unfortunately hibbit took the bait. Seriously if we ignore him, he’ll go away.
c-dog
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:06 PM
Comment #5Uh Oh jails not playing anymore…
Lindisfarne
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:20 PM
Comment #6But can Jarrad Branthwaite score goals?!!
welshgeordie9
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:21 PM
Comment #7Jail
Do I care if my posts get ignored, not really.
Bring back benitez
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:26 PM
Comment #8Anyone think the mighty Steve cooper will join us?
welshgeordie9
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:27 PM
Comment #9Jail
I find it so funny that you thought Rafa didn’t do anything wrong regarding him with his style of play and the timing of him bringing players on.
welshgeordie9
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:29 PM
Comment #10Were we 13th this time last season.
welshgeordie9
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:30 PM
Comment #11None of these players we got this season are Bruces.
Bring back benitez
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:32 PM
Comment #12Couldn’t give a flying duck where Swansea are!
Poor team poor manager
welshgeordie9
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:35 PM
Comment #13I know totally agree.
welshgeordie9
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:38 PM
Comment #14After all the club have only been in prem for about six seasons and have only been relegated once, and in that time have won the league cup.
Lilongwe Geordie
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:40 PM
Comment #15Not reqlly sure how to jump in here as haven’t read back past the last 50 posts!
Racism, Marveaux a world beater, Mbemba’s misdemeanours, Rafa bad signings, Bruce just here for relegation battles…..
Don’t know who was accused of being racist, and subsequently according to another gave more black players a chance than most. Neither of those angles rings true on any recent manager.
Marveaux, I think we can just let Kets keep this one. He clearly wasn’t, but we all have/had our favourites….
Mbemba, he would never have become a Rafa defender. Never had the discipline or awareness. Right to sell him .
Rafa bad signings, there were quite a few, but we all know the constraints and difficulties of getting the players you want here. One thing I’d say, is Rafa had more sway than most, but still got more leeway. But all managers/DoF/Scouts get it wrong, and it isn’t always because the player isn’t good enough. Way more to it.
Bruce hasn’t said he is here for relegation battles. Nor did Rafa, or any other. If people believe that none of them realised they knew that was their primary goal, then they are insulting the intelligence of whichever manager they mean.
Lilongwe Geordie
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:42 PM
Comment #16Would happily take Piatek and Lookman, but more than that we need a top centre mid. Loan, not loan, whatever gets us through this season. With the hope, possibly futile, that knowing we need them now means we will prioritise and have lined up for the summer.
Lilongwe Geordie
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:44 PM
Comment #17Lindi,
Well there was an article in one of the Watford local rags which said that Watford were tracking young Carlisle attacker Jarrad Branthwaite, so maybe!
Reilly
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:45 PM
Comment #18Dont feed the virgin.
welshgeordie9
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:49 PM
Comment #19How dare you, that’s not a nice thing to say about jail.
Ha ha ha
Reilly
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:53 PM
Comment #20Well i say virgin, probs popped his cherry with the biggest ewe in the field.
RobLeenio
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:56 PM
Comment #21Jail, we’ve been talking about the last decade mainly, which is when I was referring to. Redknapp was appointed at Spurs in 2008, but I’ll give you Moyes in 2012 as one example of a British manager appointed to a top club, but the trend is against them and is well known.
c-dog
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:58 PM
Comment #22Is Jail practicing Celibacy under the belief of its Rafa or nobody?
RobLeenio
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:59 PM
Comment #23Lindisfarne, thanks for taking the time to dig those stats out, especially as I know you’re no fan of Bruce. They are very interesting, though, showing him in the top four championship managers by points per game.
Definitely worth bearing in mind when the premier League stat is rolled out as a sanity check if nothing else.
As we all know, a single isolated stat very rarely tells the full story.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 8, 2020 at 6:59 PM
Comment #24Lilongwe,
Are you another either ignoring facts or just genuinely unaware of what’s been going on. Rafa stated, said publically that he did not come here to fight relegation battles every year. What bit of that did you miss or if you didn’t, don’t understand.
Given our history, can you honestly say that Bruce hasn’t been tasked with just simply avoiding relegation, if he finishes in the bottom six three seasons in a row, do you think they are more likely to let him run down his contract or offer him another three years?
Jib
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:01 PM
Comment #25Sometimes a single stat tells the full story
Like this stat:-
Jail has never posted anything worth reading – ever
c-dog
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:03 PM
Comment #26RAFA went toe to toe with Mike Ashley
Made Mike Ashley millions
Then got Mike Ashleyed
Ashley didn’t care about Rafa leaving
He’d served his purpose
And in the end Ashley made a fool of him
Lilongwe Geordie
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:06 PM
Comment #27Jail,
If Rafa firmly believed that statement then he is far less intelligent than people believe. Or was he just naive/overly arrogant? Given our history, Rafa knew what he was getting into as much as anyone else.
People lie. Rafa did it to ingraciate himself with fans. Pardew did it to ingraciate himself with the owner. You are putting words in Bruce’s mouth, but if push came to shove, he would say he was here to do far more than fight relegation. If he says it does it make it true?
Jail for Ashley
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:07 PM
Comment #28Good old Mikey eh C-dog, let’s give him a round of applause.
welshgeordie9
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:07 PM
Comment #29Jail
Rafa knew what he was getting himself into before he joined, he thought Ashley would give him the money because it was him, and that’s disrespecting previous managers.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:09 PM
Comment #30Lilongwe,
Start being ar$ed to read back on posts if you’re going to comment on mine please. I haven’t put any words in Bruce’s mouth.
Munster Mag
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:09 PM
Comment #31Sorry, can’t resist. Jail, rafa got some signings wrong but you refuse to criticise this. If Bruce spunked 10mill on Murphy you’d be moaning all day. Hypocritical muppet.
Munster Mag
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:10 PM
Comment #32Jail, Lil has forgotten more about the game than u will ever know. Shut up.
welshgeordie9
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:10 PM
Comment #33I bet Rafa thought I will get the money because I’m better than the previous managers, and that’s what pissed him off.
jane
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:10 PM
Comment #34Villa playing without a striker tonight. maybe we should try that.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:11 PM
Comment #35Lilongwe,
After being shown those drawings, meeting the architect and having a billionaire salesman giving him his spiel maybe he was naive for believing him, maybe you’re right Lilongwe, he’s as thick as foot and should have left after taking us down, then you could have had nicer football for the last three years.
Lilongwe Geordie
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:12 PM
Comment #36Jail,
Do you have a quote from Bruce saying he is here to be in the top 3 of the bottom 6?
Munster Mag
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:13 PM
Comment #37Jail rafa does this everywhere he goes. He plays politics and spins muppets like you. He is a good manager but you are like a 12 Yr old Take That fan, such is your idolatry. Lil is being totally fair, with no axe to grind. Unlike you.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:14 PM
Comment #38Munster,
When I do moan about his signings or his football then you can call me hypocrite, until then and it’s only an IF, please stfu. However moaning that he is shit does not make me a hypocrite.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:15 PM
Comment #39Lilongwe,
Did I say I did? Did I say that he said that, go back and read my posts and get back to me.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 8, 2020 at 7:16 PM
Comment #40Munster Mag,
Your posts are shite.