Manchester United face Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Europa League final tonight.
Both teams have endured incredibly difficult seasons as they reside in 16th and 17th place, quite remarkably.
Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou are under pressure to deliver the trophy this evening, otherwise their futures at the clubs remain in doubt, particularly for the latter.
It’ll be one of the most watched games of the season, but for Everton and David Moyes, they’ll be keeping an extra close eye.
Here’s why.
Why Everton chiefs will be watching Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur with interest
The winner of tonight’s Europa League final will automatically qualify for next season’s Champions League campaign.
That will be transformative for the club’s finances, as it’ll significantly increase their budget for the fast-approaching summer transfer window.
To put it into perspective, the share for Champions League clubs is around £2bn, compared to the Europa League, which is £467m, according to TNT Sports.
MORE EVERTON STORIES
So there’s a lot at stake tonight and from an Everton perspective, the result could have a big impact on Jarrad Branthwaite’s future.
Manchester United are desperate to sign Branthwaite and have already made multiple bids to land his signature.
The Toffees, however, are demanding £80m to sanction his sale, so that fee will likely be unattainable for Man United if they lose this evening and miss out on the UCL payout.
For that reason, Moyes and his chiefs may actually be rooting for Spurs to win.
The Friedkin Group want to tie Jarrad Branthwaite down to new deal
Branthwaite’s contract expires in two years time, so Everton aren’t in the best position to retain his signature.
After completing a 100-day audit of the club, one of the first things the Friedkin Group set out to do was extend Branthwaite’s deal.
So far, from what we understand, there has been no progress made on that front and there is still doubt around what he wants to do.
After being snubbed by new England boss Thomas Tuchel in March, there were suggestions that Branthwaite felt he had to leave the Toffees to get into the squad ahead of the World Cup next year.
A telling summer awaits Branthwaite and Everton.