Everton today announced that James Garner has undergone a surgical procedure and will be out for the remainder of the preseason as he goes into physical rehabilitation.
The midfielder had missed last weekend’s preseason friendly against Dundee with a groin ailment, and it turns out the problem was more serious than first identified. The 25-year-old needed surgery to correct the issue, and is now recovering at Finch Farm. Garner is expected to return to first-team training in a month, which is the opening
weekend of the new Premier League season.
Garner was voted Everton Men’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season, with the first award voted for by the fans and the second by his teammates. He featured in 41 games last season, scoring three times and picking up seven assists.
This blow comes a day after the announcement that his fellow starter Idrissa Gana Gueye would not be returning to the club after the expiry of his previous contract. The club and player had been in talks over an extension, but the Senegal international has chosen to move to the Saudi League to play for Al-Diriya instead.
Everton have already signed Championship Player of the Year Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough during the World Cup, but will need a more defensive-minded midfielder to start the season. Merlin Rohl’s loan was made permanent and Tim Iroegbunam remains on the squad, but the feeling is that this is a good opportunity for the Blues to sign a defensive midfielder that would bolster the defence by providing adequate cover.
