Everton are telling suitors that Jarrad Branthwaite is not for sale this summer.
Chelsea have been weighing up an approach and Tottenham are still expected to test the water but manager David Moyes wants the England international defender to stay.
Moyes is mindful of how important Branthwaite has become as part of a miserly defence alongside James Tarkowski, Jake O'Brien and Jordan Pickford.
He wants to keep that core foundation as Everton make the transition from Goodison Park to their new stadium at Bramley Moore and will rely on Branthwaite further with Tarkowski recovering from hamstring surgery.