‘Great future ahead of him’, ‘very impressed’: Some Everton fans think they’ve unearthed a real gem

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Everton came from behind to pick up a point in their Premier League encounter at Goodison Park on Thursday and plenty of Toffees fans were impressed by Jarrad Branthwaite’s display for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

The 6ft 4in defender became Ancelotti’s first signing at Everton back in January when, as a 17-year-old, he joined the Toffees from Carlisle United for a reported £750,000 fee.

Branthwaite initially linked up with the club’s Under-23s but his impressive performances in training, combined with a number of defensive injuries, have pushed him into first-team contention.

The 18-year-old has made the bench for Everton’s first five games after the restart before getting 45 minutes under his belt in the 3-0 loss to Wolves.

In the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, Branthwaite was called upon once again following Mason Holgate’s 16th-minute substitution due to injury, and settled into the match right away.

He weighed in with numerous tackles and headers, and looked right at home playing in a Premier League fixture for a team with ambitions of a European finish next season.

Plenty of Everton fans took to social media to express their excitement in a player who looks like he could develop into a force for them: