Everton are completely relaxed about Aston Villa’s persistent interest in James Garner, with sources telling Football Insider that the club have no intention of entertaining offers for the midfielder and are fully confident in their ability to keep him.
Villa have been long-term admirers of the 25-year-old and have not been put off by his recent contract renewal at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Former Aston Villa scout Mick Brown confirmed to Football Insider that they are watching Garner “closely” with a view to making a move this summer, buoyed particularly by his impressive senior England debut in the March international break. Despite that, Everton’s position is clear and settled. Selling Garner is simply not a conversation they are having.
Why James Garner is not for sale at Everton
The numbers justify the protectiveness. Garner has been one of the standout performers in Everton’s remarkable push up the Premier League table this season, racking up 31 appearances, eight goal contributions, 44 chances created and an impressive 93 tackles. His duels won percentage of 62.5% underlines what he brings at both ends of the pitch. For a club targeting European football, losing a player of that profile would be an enormous setback.
David Moyes has made it abundantly clear that Garner is central to his plans, and the Friedkin Group have backed that stance by getting a new contract signed. Everton’s message to Villa and anyone else monitoring the situation is straightforward: unless an offer arrives that genuinely cannot be refused, Garner stays. That threshold is a high one.
Sources indicate that Everton are also confident that their own trajectory as a club can match Garner’s ambitions. The move to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium, the backing of the Friedkin Group and a genuine push towards European qualification this season all point in the same direction. The argument Everton are making to Garner is that he does not need to leave to fulfil his potential.
Everton also set to keep Jarrad Branthwaite
The good news extends beyond Garner. Football Insider sources also indicate that Everton are set to retain Jarrad Branthwaite for another season, with Manchester United’s interest having cooled ahead of the summer window. The 23-year-old has endured another injury-disrupted campaign, only making his first Premier League appearance of the season in late January, which may have contributed to United’s reduced urgency. Everton’s challenge with Branthwaite is less about fending off suitors and more about keeping him fit consistently, but retaining him at the club is the most important part of that equation and it now looks like the outcome.
