Fans have been anxiously waiting for the return of Jarrad Branthwaite to the starting 11, but according to the newest reports, Toffee fans will have to wait a while longer.
Everton announced that Branthwaite has suffered a complication regarding his recovery from a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelines from Premier League action so far. The Bobble also reported that Branthwaite will have an operation “to address the issue.”
This is devastating news for Everton’s defense, which has been shaky at times due to having to employ right-backs out of position and James Tarkowski’s regression.
This news, as Everton pundit Ryan Williams pointed out, changes nothing in the short term. James Garner can play right back, and he might even be deployed there when Merlin Rohl starts getting consistent minutes, but he’s been one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League by some metrics.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Toffees dip their toes in the free agent market depending on the severity of the injury. While there aren’t many center backs available for free, Rick Karsdorp, who last played for PSV and previously featured for Roma, is a right back that is available.
Adding a stopgap at the right back position would allow Jake O’Brien to move centrally and give the team some cover. Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson could feature in more matches, but Coleman’s injury history is concerning, and Patterson has seemingly been relegated to the reserves.
Here’s to hoping that Branthwaite will be back soon, because the chances of Everton reaching Europe move from unlikely to slim without him in the starting lineup.