Sean Dyche claims Jarrad Branthwaite will have no problem keeping his head on his shoulders after a taste of senior international football with England and backs him to become their 'centre half of the future'

Jarrad Branthwaite will not have any problems keeping his head on his shoulders after a taste of senior international football with England, according to Everton manager Sean Dyche who has noticed no change in the defender since being thrust into stardom this year.

The 21-year-old Toffees defender was promoted to England’s senior squad for the recent international camp after thriving for the Under 21s and wearing the armband. He did not play but Dyche believes the experience can only benefit the youngster.

Branthwaite has been one of the best defenders in the Premier League this season after spending last year on loan at PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, and his fine performances have caught the eye of the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United.

Asked if he will have a job on his hands to keep Branthwaite level-headed, Dyche said: ‘There won’t be a problem with that. He’s come in, hasn’t changed, loads of good reviews and rightly so since he came back (from PSV), lots of man of the match awards.

‘He’s signed a new deal, don't forget, been with the Under 21s and been pretty steady among all that. But you do want him to change in a positive way, come out of himself more and keep thriving on it, building his own on-pitch persona.

‘I had Tarky (James Tarkowski) and Keano (Michael Keane) when they were young (at Burnley), they started expressing themselves as individuals with the way they play and then as leader types.’

Dyche, whose side travel to Bournemouth on Saturday, believes that the experience of being with some of the best players in the world on senior England duty is better for Branthwaite than playing for the Under 21s.

‘Maybe this time round because he’s played a lot of football (for Everton),’ added the Toffees boss. ‘Some Under 21s players haven’t played much football, or Premier League football. It gave him a semi-rest. I would have liked him to have played.

‘It’s not a bad thing to get a feel of it, that sense of what it is, getting down to Wembley. That feel of it is a very good thing for a young, up-and-coming player, hopefully an England centre half of the future.’