Everton’s Transfer Gamble Could Secure the Next Jarrad Branthwaite

Millwall’s Joshua Stephenson has emerged as a compelling transfer target for Everton. But what do we know about the 18-year-old prospect?

Football Insider reports that Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion, who recently signed Blues target Yankuba Minteh from Newcastle United for £30 million, are both interested in Stephenson. Premier League rivals Brentford and newly-promoted Southampton are also closely monitoring the situation. Stephenson, highly rated at Millwall, has yet to make his senior debut but has proven to be a versatile option for the club’s youth sides.

Named the club’s Academy Player of the Season for the 2023-24 campaign, Stephenson could be on the verge of stepping up to the Premier League. According to sources, Millwall now faces a significant challenge in keeping hold of the teenage sensation, who can play in both defence and midfield.

Last season, Stephenson was a key player for the Lions in the FA Youth Cup, playing every minute as the south London side reached the semi-finals. After overcoming Barking 5-3 in the third round, Millwall triumphed 4-1 at Grimsby Town in the fourth round and 3-0 at Coventry City in the fifth round, with Stephenson named captain. He retained the armband for the quarter-final derby against Chelsea, which Millwall won 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, with Stephenson converting the winning spot-kick. Although he also led the team for the semi-final at Leeds United and scored in the 54th minute to make it 2-2, Leeds ultimately won 4-3.

Stephenson’s statistics across 13 matches for Millwall Under-21s in the Professional Development League South last season are impressive. According to Comparisonator, he ranked third out of 60 players for defensive actions with an average of 55.07 per 90 minutes. He also made the top 10 for successful key passes (fourth with 0.27), shot assists (fourth with 0.45), ball losses in his own half (seventh with 3), assists (0.09), and ball recoveries (12.82).

Although Stephenson is still very much a prospect for the future, Everton could benefit from new youthful talent. Earlier this year, manager Sean Dyche admitted that none of the existing academy prospects were ready to make the jump to the first team. Stephenson might just be worth the gamble, considering the success Everton had with Jarrad Branthwaite, a teenage defender plucked from the lower divisions who turned out to be an astute purchase.