Everton went into the 2025-26 season with four centrehalves, two of whom are already 32. Having failed to add a right back in the summer transfer window, the plan might have been to muddle through the year
with one of those centrebacks out on the right but news of Jarrad Branthwaite’s hamstring injury will force David Moyes into a rethink on how to approach the rest of the season.
Michael Keane has done very well in a stand-in role for Branthwaite, often outshining his partner in the back James Tarkowski. However, there is no doubt that the Blues’ best pairing in the back in the past at least has been Branthwaite with Tarkowski next to him. While Tarkowski started off last season poorly before finding his footing and becoming indispensable before a serious injury curtailed his season late on, this season he’s been more error-prone and hasn’t quite settled in yet with close to a quarter of the campaign already gone.
Jake O’Brien meanwhile did very well initially on the right when Moyes made his return to the Toffees, but has since then been found out. Limited in attack, he’s getting caught flat-footed by pacier wingers when defending as well, and that has to be giving the leadership group sleepless nights given that the only rightback options are veteran Seamus Coleman and shaky Nathan Patterson.
While no timeline has been given for Branthwaite’s return, with the player undergoing surgery today and then “a structured rehabilitation programme under the supervision of the Club’s medical team following the operation” to follow, he seems set for an extended spell on the sidelines and unlikely to play again in 2025 and possibly well into next year too.
The Toffees have had to shuffle the pack minus the former Carlisle United defender when Keane left the game against Crystal Palace, with O’Brien going into the middle alongside Tarkowski. In case any of the trio picks up an injury between now and January transfer window, Moyes could be forced to use Vitaliy Mykolenko (who has had his own injury demons) or Coleman as a makeshift centrehalf if a substitute is needed during a game.
Tactically, the loss of Branthwaite really hurts the Blues too. Having the rangy centrehalf on the pitch allows Moyes to play a higher line, but with the ageing Keane and Tarkowski starting, there are bigger gaps to exploit. The Toffees become immediately more susceptible to the long ball behind the backline, and also forces another older player Idrissa Gueye into covering bigger gaps thereby limiting his effectiveness.
The defender’s absence doesn’t only hamper Everton’s play when the team are out of possession. Branthwaite’s ball-playing ability is one of his much-vaunted talents without which the Blues have resorted to long diagonals from Tarkowski and Keane as the only way to get out of a high press. However, with Beto better at running onto balls played beyond the last defender and Thierno Barry still finding his feet in England, the Blues have struggled to create chances beyond the guile presented by Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye.
The most obvious addition would be to go out and find another centrehalf with Branthwaite’s ability on the ball, potentially a younger player that would eventually replace Tarkowski and Keane. However, that kind of player doesn’t quite grow on trees or in Everton’s youth system, and would be difficult enough to procure over the summer let alone in the shortened and price-escalated winter transfer window.
Recent transfer rumours linking the Blues to Toulouse’s 23-year-old defender Charlie Cresswell make more sense given Branthwaite’s injury prognosis. The 6’3” England Under-21 international has been raising eyebrows since the Leeds United youth system graduate moved to Ligue 1 in the summer of 2024. Last season he made 34 appearances playing for 2,850 minutes in the league and cup competitions, scoring four goals and picking up two assists as well. This season he has already racked up two goals and an assist in just eight appearances.
Alternatively, the Toffees need to sign a starting quality right back in January which will free up O’Brien to return to the middle alongside either Keane or Tarkowski. After coming close to adding Kenny Tete when his contract expired over the summer, the Blues had no more solid links to a fullback for the remainder of the transfer window. Juanlu Sanchez’ move to Napoli failed to materialize and the versatile defender should still be on Everton’s radar, given that Moyes particular covets players that can play multiple positions as well as the 22-year-old Sevilla and Spain Under-21 international can, who also moonlights as a midfielder.
Speaking of midfielders, Moyes could also move James Garner to fullback where he did decently on the left while Mykolenko was out. With Merlin Rohl fit again and Tim Iroegbunam also playing well in recent games, that could be a viable option too.
However, fixture congestion in the upcoming holiday period usually requires rotation and given how thin the Blues’ squad is, any injuries even short-term could throw Moyes’ plans in disarray. All signs point to adding to the roster in January, and given how close (reportedly) the Blues were in the summer to the Profit & Sustainability Rules (PSR) limits, a sale or two cannot be ruled out, with Dwight McNeil one of the first names on the chopping block.
