In a summer where we can expect to have a number of moving pieces with player contracts expiring and loans ending, the first domino has fallen and it is a critical one for Everton Football Club’s future.
Jarrad Branthwaite is one of the rarer young ball-playing centerhalves who is left-footed, and that in itself makes him a valuable commodity in the modern game. The England international, who just turned 23 last week, has been eyed by a number of bigger sides over the last couple of years as he has broken into the Everton side and eventually made the left-sided center back position his own.
Last summer he was being actively pursued by Manchester United and this offseason Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have also been mentioned as suitors, but Everton through new owners The Friedkin Group have insisted that last year’s Toffees’ Young Player of the Season was not for sale. Manager David Moyes said earlier this year that the club was holding “all the cards” regarding the player’s future.
Jarrad Branthwaite 2030. ✍️
— Everton (@Everton) July 2, 2025
Earlier today the player signed a new long-term contract that sees his wages rise in a manner commensurate to his performances, and secures his future with two years left on his previous deal. The new contract will see the player remain with the Blues until 2030.
Speaking after signing the new contract, Branthwaite said -
“I’m over the moon. It’s been something we’ve been talking about since the end of the season and to get it signed now is something I’m really excited about.
“The trust the Club’s put in me and how many games I’ve played over the past two seasons has made it quite an easy decision for me to stay and to keep progressing as a player.
“I know the Club. I feel loved by the players – we’ve got a good group here – and the fans. Over the past few years, I’ve seen the impact the fans have on us as a team and how much it means to them. And, obviously, with the new stadium we’ve got here, the new ownership and the new manager, it’s an exciting project and it’s something I want to be part of.
“Moving to the new stadium together and having that first game at home is something we’re all looking forward to. We want to go again and push for a good season.”
Brentford FC v Everton FC - Premier League Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
On Moyes’ impact on the side, Branthwaite added -
“The way the manager wants us to go as a team and what he wants us to do for next season and where he wants us to challenge for has had a big impact on the decision. I think you saw towards the end of last season as a team what we can do.
“The manager has been really good, not only for me but for the group. You saw the change in results, the change in mood since he came in. He drives the demands every day to be better.”
For his part, Moyes insisted that the young defender was a key part of the club’s future.
“We’re delighted Jarrad has committed his future to us. He is still only 23 and his best years are hopefully still ahead of him.
“We believe he can have a huge role to play in an exciting new era at the Football Club.”
With Branthwaite now secured from leery eyes in the Premier League, the club can now go about filling the multiple vacancies that have opened up in the squad over the summer.