Jarrad Branthwaite has opened up on how he caught the eye of Carlo Ancelotti on his first day of Everton training.
The young defender made the move to Goodison Park from League Two side Carlisle United in January 2020, becoming the Italian manager's first permanent signing.
Despite arriving primarily to be involved with the youth setup, the centre-back grabbed his Premier League opportunity and impressed towards the end of the 2019/20 campaign.
And Branthwaite has now explained that an 11 v 11 match at Finch Farm was the first moment in which he was able to catch the eye of his new manager.
Speaking to
the defender remarked: "Yeah that's what happened.
"My first day at Everton, I went in and on that first day I was training with the first team in an 11 v 11 match.
"Ever since then, that's where I must have caught his [ Ancelotti's ] eye. I've been with the first team ever since then, so that's been good."
The 18-year-old is spending the current campaign on loan at Blackburn Rovers and has slotted straight into the starting line-up for the Championship side.
And the youngster admitted he still has to pinch himself after potentially being six weeks away from being let go at Carlisle not so long ago.
He added: "It's a whirlwind, I still can't believe what's happening to be fair!
"From being so close to not being taken on at Carlisle as a youth player, I've now made my debut in the Premier League and play in the Championship.
"I just can't believe it.
"Basically in my youth days they were dangling the carrot as they say, and I had six weeks to prove that I was good enough to be there.
"Luckily I got one [a scholarship] and I did prove that to them."
