Everton will be looking to improve greatly on their 14th-placed finish – and fielding two players who’ve never actually played together consistently could make all the difference.
Everton fans were left disappointed at the end of last season after a run of seven games without a win.
What should Everton be willing to pay to bring back Grealish over the summer? 💰
David Moyes came in for a lot of criticism, with many feeling the manager did not rotate the team anywhere near as much as he should have.
But there were also some key absences that did not help Everton’s cause.
The injuries to Jack Grealish and then Jarrad Branthwaite undoubtedly had a big impact, and there’s an argument to say both players could massively improve Everton next season.
Everton have never had the luxury of playing Jarrad Branthwaite and Jack Grealish
Last term, Everton lost Jack Grealish to a season-ending injury in January.
He’d been playing well, but suffered a foot injury which required surgery. The winger sadly couldn’t play another game.
Then, during the Merseyside Derby in April, Everton saw Branthwaite suffer another hamstring injury, with the defender leaving the field on a stretcher.
Branthwaite is actually back on the grass now, which is good news, and fans everywhere will hope that he can get a prolonged run in the team without suffering another injury.
Everton are also still looking to bring Grealish back, and given how much he enjoyed his time on Merseyside, there is a reasonable chance of that happening.
Everton’s fixtures for 2026/27 have been released! What immediately caught your eye about them? 🤩
That said, he is now back in pre-season training with Manchester City, and it’s thought Enzo Maresca wants to take a look at him.
But this coming season, if Everton can have Branthwaite and Grealish playing the majority of games, then that is a huge bonus.
Amazingly, they haven’t actually ever been on the pitch at the same time for Everton yet, given the timing of their injuries.
Branthwaite is Everton’s best defender, and has the potential to link up with Grealish a fair bit on that left side should he return.
We know how Branthwaite loves to break the lines. He is always trying to be progressive, and he can also carry the ball out of defence. He simply brings unique traits to that defence, which Everton miss when he doesn’t play.
Grealish is also unique.
We saw him make six assists during his time on loan, and he would probably have finished with at least double that tally had he stayed fit.
He is exceptional at protecting the ball and winning fouls in dangerous territory. For a team like Everton, who have so many aerial threats, this is invaluable.
So hopefully we do see Grealish come back for 2026/27. And if he and Branthwaite can play the bulk of the games, there will surely be a decent chance of better European push.
Receive a digest of our best Everton content each week direct to your mailbox
