James Garner is the next player Everton are pushing to agree a contract extension with, as speculation mounts over a return to former club Manchester United, and TEAMtalk can reveal the Toffees’ strong stance on the player.
The Toffees signed Garner, 24, from the Red Devils in the summer of 2022 in a deal worth £15m, and he has fully established himself as a vital player for the club under David Moyes.
Garner has developed into a valuable utility man, performing admirably in his main midfield position but also as a left-back and right-back when required.
He has started all eight of Everton’s Premier League games so far this term, notching one goal and an assist, and Moyes has heaped praise on his form.
“I think that he’s stepped up,” Moyes said in an interview last month. “From the Jimmy Garner I knew over the last year or two and then obviously I had him last year, I think he stepped up again and he’s shown it. He might be good enough to make another step with England [in the senior squad] in the future.”
However, the fact that Garner’s Everton contract expires at the end of this season has prompted speculation. A recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey claimed that Man Utd are keeping a close eye on his situation, and could make a move to bring him back to Old Trafford.
But Everton have a plan in place to keep Garner for many years to come, and TEAMtalk can reveal there is confidence behind the scenes at the Merseyside club.
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Everton have option to extend James Garner’s contract
TEAMtalk revealed back on September 10 that Everton were pushing to agree contract extensions with James Tarkowski, Jordan Pickford, James Garner, and Vitaliy Mykolenko.
Since then, Everton have tied Tarkowski and Pickford down to two-year and three-year contract extensions, respectively.
Garner is likely to be next, with the Merseysiders pushing to agree a new long-term contract with him. There is confidence behind the scenes that an agreement will be reached.
Some outlets have claimed that Everton have an option to extend Garner’s contract by a further year – something that Moyes hinted at in a recent press conference.
This would put Everton in a significantly stronger position to rebuff advances for the midfielder. If the clause is available to the Toffees and is triggered, it will remove the risk of him leaving on a free transfer next summer.
TEAMtalk approached Everton for comment on the reported one-year extension clause, but the club declined to respond.
The plan is to agree a new long-term deal with Garner soon, though, and this would absolve the need for an extension clause.
Man Utd are looking to add to their midfield options in 2026, as we have consistently reported, but Everton want to keep Garner and intend to turn down any advances in January.
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