After months of speculation, Everton have confirmed the new contract for midfielder James Garner. The deal will keep Garner on Merseyside until 2030, a year that I cannot even fathom as being a real date.
There were rumors about the discussions going back to the beginning of the season, after Jarrad Branthwaite, James Tarkowski, and Jordan Pickford all committed to the Everton project going forward. Garner will now join Branthwaite with the club until 2030, with Adam Aznou, Tyler Dibling, Iliman Ndiaye, Thierno Barry, Mark Travers, and Pickford locked in until the previous year.
Garner has been fantastic so far this campaign, even earning high praise from manager David Moyes in suggesting that it may be time for an England call-up for the player. Thomas Tuchel has been seen sniffing around Everton matches recently, so maybe the England manager is paying attention to the words from Moyes.
While many will praise his versatility (he's played both fullback spots along with his usual midfield role this year), it's really been the ability to be trusted in his favored position that has brought the most out of Garner.
Playing alongside the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Idrissa Gana Gueye probably doesn't hurt, but Garner has seemed more self-assured and confident on the ball this season, attributes that started to land him on the radar of clubs like AC Milan and Manchester United, where he began his career as a teenager.
To that end, Garner is currently atop the Premier League leaderboard in "combined tackles (64), interceptions (32) and key passes (27) with 123 in total so far this campaign," something that would have surprised most Evertonians after his first few seasons, even those who thought there was a player there.
Garner was clear in what inspired him to renew his commitment to the club, saying he's "very grateful for all the support and all the love [he's] had over the past three-and-a-half years, but it's just the start," adding that he's "seen the progress we've made recently. Now [he] want[s] to be part of that progress and get us back to where the Club deserves to be. [He] feel[s] like [he's] now a part of the Club and [he's] hoping to be a part of it for a long time."
The midfield looks to be in good shape for the next few years, with Garner and Dewsbury-Hall along with Charly Alcaraz, Merlin Röhl, Tim Iroegbunam, and Harrison Armstrong, all looking to be part of the mix.
It isn't a finished group, but it's a good starting point for an Everton team with ambitions for bigger and better things.