Everton Football Club has confirmed that defender James Tarkowski has signed a two-year extension to his contract, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2028. The announcement, made public on Wednesday, underscores the club’s intent to retain defensive stability as they seek to regain momentum both domestically and on the continental stage.
Tarkowski, who joined Everton on a free transfer from Burnley in July 2022, initially had a deal that would have run out at the end of this season. The new agreement ensures that he will remain a pillar of Everton’s backline for an additional two seasons.
In comments delivered via the club’s media channels, Tarkowski expressed his delight and ambition following the signing. “I’m super excited and proud to be an Everton player and to continue this journey,” he said. “It’s been a crazy few years with some big lows and some massive highs. We’ve managed to get through those tough times and hopefully now we’re on to more positive and exciting times ahead.”
He also stressed his belief in manager David Moyes’ vision and the direction the club appears to be headed. “I’ve loved every minute so far of working under the manager. He has made it clear where we’re going with this club. The results and performances have really improved in his time here and it does seem to be going in one direction. The reason I’ve signed is because I want to be a part of that. Now it’s up to us as players to get on board and take us in that direction.”
Beyond a personal sense of continuity, Tarkowski’s extension carries with it an implied challenge: to lead Everton back into European competition. “It’s always been an ambition of mine to play European football,” he added. “I had a brief spell with Burnley in the qualifiers, but we didn’t make it to the group stages, so I want to get there. It’s the manager’s goal, it’s our goal as a team … we’re definitely striving to get into those European spots and bring European football to our new stadium.”
Statistically, Tarkowski has already become one of Everton’s most consistent performers since his arrival. In the Premier League, only one other player—goalkeeper Jordan Pickford—has recorded more appearances for the club over the same period. He has also led the way in categories such as aerial duels won, headed clearances, and blocks among Everton defenders since joining.
His importance is magnified by the fact that he carries the vice-captaincy and often shoulders leadership responsibilities in games, including wearing the captain’s armband when regular skipper Seamus Coleman is unavailable.
Tarkowski arrives at this contract renewal having already faced challenges, including a hamstring injury late last season that interrupted an otherwise iron-man style run of appearances. In his remarks, he acknowledged the toll of that setback but reaffirmed his commitment to being dependable: “The injury I got at the end of last season took a lot of hard work to get back from, but yes, I want to be reliable and I pride myself on that. I want to be able to be relied upon all of the time.”
His resilience will be vital not only on matchdays but also in the training ground and locker room, where his experience is expected to help guide younger defenders. “I’m experienced and I know my own game well … and then I also want to be a leader, not just on a matchday, but also in and around the training ground—guiding people, helping people, and just helping this team get better,” he said.