Everton have received a significant blow ahead of their Premier League season opener against Leeds United, with reports on social media that a key player has suffered an injury and will likely miss the opener on Monday.
El Bobble, the social media account that often breaks Everton news before the club itself, has reported that Jarrad Branthwaite has suffered a hamstring injury in training. The extent of the injury is not yet known but early reports claim that theEngland international is out for a month, dealing a blow to David Moyes quest for Premier League improvement
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite has suffered a hamstring injury in training 🔵 pic.twitter.com/MWsv2FRwS6
— The Bobble (@ElBobble) August 13, 2025
Branthwaite was a key figure for Everton last season before a hamstring injury prematurely ended his campaign and ruled him out of the European Under-21 Championships. He also missed the Premier League Summer Series, remaining at Finch Farm to focus on his recovery and build his fitness.
The centre-back returned to start in Everton’s final preseason match against Roma, raising hopes among fans of seeing him form a formidable partnership with James Tarkowski once again.
The central defender, who recently signed a new contract with the club, is expected to be a cornerstone of David Moyes' defense for the 2025-26 campaign and were hoping Everton could field their strongest defensive partnership from the start.
Who will replace Branthwaite?
Everton head to Elland Road with defensive injury concerns mounting. Nathan Patterson is already sidelined, while Vitalii Mykolenko is a doubt after picking up a knock against Roma, leaving the back line worryingly thin. Michael Keane is the most likely replacement for Branthwaite, with Jake O’Brien expected to slot in on the right.
The news of Branthwaite's injury, while not expected to sideline him for an extended period, initially created a tactical dilemma for Everton.
This setback may have forced the club to accelerate their search for a new centre-back or, at the very least, fast-track the signing of James Justin. Such a move would have allowed the versatile Jake O'Brien to shift to his more natural and preferred position at centre-back on a regular basis.
Regardless of the immediate fallout, the hope remains that Branthwaite makes a full recovery and returns to the pitch as soon as possible.