Carlisle United: How we'd use Jarrad Branthwaite proceeds

Everton’s former Blues defender is being linked with a big-money move this summer – with United in line to benefit through a sell-on clause.

A multi-million pound transfer for the Wigton star would have significant financial benefits for his boyhood club.

Chief executive Clibbens says that, while the Piatak takeover has made United less dependent on that sort of windfall than they would previously have been, it would still bring great benefits to Brunton Park.

“I've always said that Jarrad would be potentially transformational for this club,” the Blues director told the News & Star.

“That's been my view all along, before he has become the player that he's become.

“With the journey the club’s been on, you have to give yourself a bit of a shake to say that, actually, that deal doesn't matter to this football club [in the same way] any more.

“Imagine saying that a year ago, that a potential transformational transfer of Jarrad doesn't now matter to us – it just makes things potentially even better.

“And that is when you really start to say, ‘wow’, because the investment and the commitment from the [Piatak] family is completely separate to this.

“That gives us even more comfort for the future of the club.”

Recent reports from outlets such as Sky Sports and The Guardian have said that Manchester United are keen to bring in England prospect Branthwaite, with a fee in the region of £60m mentioned.

Carlisle are already spending millions on major projects at Brunton Park, including stadium developments and a proposed new training ground, with the Piataks saying some £8.5m+ is being invested.

Asked if any future income from Branthwaite would offset that spending, or simply fund additional work, Clibbens said: “There are two separate situations.

“If Jarrad doesn't go and sits there [at Everton], none of this [work at United] is going to stop.

Branthwaite started his career at United - and could now earn the club millions (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“It's not the case that, if Jarrad doesn't go, we're going to have £8m of commitments coming our way for a training ground [and the stadium] and there's no money.

“The owners didn't buy and invest in the football club on the basis that they were getting a sell-on from Jarrad Branthwaite. These decisions have been made independent of that.”

Branthwaite, along with fellow Cumbrians Dean Henderson and James Trafford, are in the preliminary England squad for Euro 2024, with the Three Lions set to face Bosnia & Herzegovina on Monday night in a friendly at Newcastle United's St James' Park.

Clibbens said the immediate plan by the Piataks to improve facilities at Brunton Park, and to create a new training facility, was always part of their initial planned investment.

He said further infrastructure work would then be looked at.

“The vision to that [using potential Branthwaite proceeds] would be what has already been applied to everything else, ie invest in capital items that can be a benefit to the football club for the longer term.

“At the same time, invest in the team to make the team better.

“It's going to open up much more opportunities for us to do more things around the ground. Then it's going to elevate our position to do more things with the football, with the academy.

“It opens up so many other opportunities for the next five to ten years.

“Obviously, we know that there are aspects of the stadium that need a lot of work. At the moment, we can't do them fast enough.

“The price ticket is significant. New CCTV system [costs] six figures. New PA [system], six figures.

“In the past, I've talked about prioritising spending in terms of essentials and safety. Then, right at the bottom of the list, there are things that would be ‘nice to have’.

“We can now look at the some things that are ‘nice to have’ and say, ‘Right, they now come to the top of the list as ‘important to have’.’

“This isn't just about the stuff that we're going to do in this six months. There's so much more that the club can do.”