Everton were searching for a new captain following Seamus Coleman's exit.
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Everton have officially confirmed that James Tarkowski will be the new captain following the departure of Seamus Coleman in the summer.
Coleman left the club this summer following the expiration of his contract, and the Toffees were yet to confirm his replacement until today.
With Everton preparing to face Crystal Palace as the Premier League returns this weekend, the club have now confirmed that Tarkowski will be the new captain of the club.
It always felt like Tarkowski would be the natural replacement for Coleman, considering he has regularly worn the armband since joining the club.
This could lead to the Toffees needing a new captain in the near future, with Tarkowski turning 34 later this year.
The Manchester-born defender still has two years remaining on his contract, and it will be interesting to see whether he is offered an extension at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
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James Tarkowski's first-ever captain notes
Ahead of his first game after officially becoming captain of Everton Football Club, Tarkowski has written his first-ever captain's notes.
"Good afternoon and welcome to Hill Dickinson Stadium for our first Premier League match of the new season against Crystal Palace.
"These are also my first notes as captain and I have to start by expressing what an honour it is to lead this team.
"To play for a massive club like Everton is special enough but to follow in the footsteps of some legendary names as captain means a huge amount to my family and me and it is truly one of the proudest moments of my career.
"I’ve had the fortune of being led at Everton by an outstanding captain in Seamus Coleman. So many people in football rightly acknowledge what an inspirational leader he is and, while I’m fully aware of the big task it is to follow on from him, I know it’s important to continue the high standards Seamus set day in and day out, and ensure everyone appreciates what it means to represent Everton.
"That includes new signings and, as well as welcoming back Merlin and Tyrique this summer, we were pleased for our squad to be strengthened by the arrivals of Hayden, Christian and Brennan.
"All of them have settled in well and we are looking forward to everyone throughout the squad having a part to play as we look to kick on this season.
"I feel we definitely made progress last term. It was an important first campaign here at our magnificent stadium, with new ownership and a lot of new faces, and I think the whole feeling around the Club changed over the season.
"It was a big disappointment to finish 2025/26 as we did and miss out on Europe – but there was so much good work for us to build on this time around.
"Like everyone connected with Everton, I want this club to be right up there battling with the best. It’s where we should be. We’ve been through some tough moments during my time here but there’s a totally different feeling around the place these days and we have every reason to be optimistic about the direction we are heading in.
"We know today won’t be an easy start for us. Crystal Palace have enjoyed some fantastic achievements over the past few seasons, winning the FA Cup and UEFA Conference League in that time, and they possess some talented players in their squad. That includes a familiar face for us in Dwight who moved to Selhurst Park in the summer. Dwight is a close friend of mine, having been a teammate at both Burnley and Everton, and we all wish him all the best at Palace – after today!
"We’re looking forward to having Evertonians behind us again this afternoon. It’s been said many times – and for good reason – but our fans are up there with the best in football.
"With you behind us, the quality we have throughout the squad, a manager who knows all there is to know about Everton, and playing at this superb stadium, we can have genuine confidence for the season ahead.
"Let’s hope that gets going today with three points.
Up The Toffees.
Tarky"
Who were the other contenders?
You'd imagine it was fairly straightforward that Tarkowski would become the new Everton captain following the departure of Coleman. The 33-year-old is one of the most experienced players in the squad and rarely misses a minute due to injuries.
The former Burnley man has now played 159 games for the club, more than the majority of the squad. In terms of other contenders, Jordan Pickford may be the closest to having been in contention over Tarkowski, but it's no surprise that Everton preferred an outfield player.
If Everton were perhaps to think a little more long term, then maybe someone like Kiernan and Dewsbury-Hall would have been an option.
James Garner and Jarrad Branthwaite are more long-term alternatives, but there's also a stronger chance of them attracting interest and leaving the club in the near future.
Many will have been hoping and potentially expecting a partnership of Jake O'Brien and Branthwaite at the back going forward, but there's now every chance Tarkowski is going to keep his place in the heart of the defence.
Tarkowski has spent a lot of time at Everton now, and in particular a lot of time alongside Coleman. We all know Coleman set the standards at Everton, and it is now up to Tarkowski to continue that over the coming years.
It's certainly strange to see someone else being Everton's club captain after so many years of Coleman being the main man.
The Toffees are heading into a new era now, and hopefully a more successful one.