The Toffees have had a resurgent 2025 year, and 2026 could be even better if they have Branthwaite back on the field.
Jarrad Branthwaite has not made his season debut for Everton yet due to a hamstring injury that has led to further complications, but according to David Moyes, he is on his way back and could return to full training soon.
Everton have fared well with veterans Michael Keane and James Tarkowski in the back line, but Branthwaite is a younger player with much higher potential in the long run, and when he’s available, he’s one of the best center backs in the Premier League. There’s a reason why Manchester United were interested in him. Keane, in particular, has done a better job than many expected from him; there’s an argument to be made that Tarkowski would be the first defender relegated to the bench when Branthwaite comes back into the squad.
Branthwaite’s return would be a massive boost to a squad that is missing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall due to injury and Idrissa Gana Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye thanks to their participation in AFCON. Branthwaite is defensively solid player and could allow the Toffees to give minutes to more offensively-minded players like Charly Alcaraz and Merlin Rohl in the double pivot if depth is an issue.
Unfortunately, he won’t be available for Everton’s matchup against relegation contenders Burnley, and the timeline for his return is still very blurry, but for the first time in a while, fans can be excited about the prospect of Branthwaite returning to a team that is already exceeding the expectations placed on them.