Tarkowski signs new Everton deal and eyes Europe

Everton defender James Tarkowski has signed a two-year statement hold that will support him astatine nan nine until 2028.

The 32-year-old joined connected a free transportation from Burnley successful 2022 and has made 128 appearances for nan Toffees.

Tarkowski, capped doubly by England, was named vice-captain of nan nine successful 2023.

After an unbeaten commencement to life astatine their caller stadium this term, Tarkowski says Everton tin execute European qualification nether David Moyes.

"It's been a crazy fewer years pinch immoderate large lows and immoderate monolithic highs. We've managed to get done those reliable times and hopefully now we're connected to much affirmative and breathtaking times ahead," said Tarkowski.

"It's ever been an ambition of excavation to play European football. I had a little spell pinch Burnley successful nan qualifiers but we didn't make it to nan group stages, truthful I want to get there.

"It's nan manager's goal, it's our extremity arsenic a squad and, truthful far, we've started beautiful well. Of course, it could person been amended but we've had a decent commencement and we're decidedly striving to get into those European spots and bring European shot to our caller stadium."

Tarkowski has started each 7 of Everton's Premier League matches this term, pinch Moyes' broadside eighth successful nan table.

Matthew Hobbs, BBC Sport journalist

Tarkowski's caller Everton woody is conscionable reward for a subordinate of exemplary consistency - some successful position of readiness and performance.

Prior to sustaining a hamstring wounded that caused him to miss nan last 5 games of past season, nan centre-back had made 111 consecutive Premier League appearances without missing a lucifer - nan longest tally of immoderate outfield subordinate during that play and nan fourth-longest tally by a non-goalkeeper successful nan competition's history.

When Tarkowski began this run successful nan bosom of Everton's defence, he had possibly not rather afloat recovered from wounded and his early outings astatine nan commencement of this play were not rather arsenic ascendant arsenic supporters had travel to expect.

However, nan 32-year-old has been a superb performer since joining nan Toffees connected a free transportation from Burnley successful July 2022 and is personification who does arguably not get nan aforesaid level of nickname arsenic defenders astatine immoderate of nan much precocious successful clubs - contempt dominating astir combative metrics since his move to Merseyside.

Tarkowksi leads each Premier League outfield players since nan commencement of 2022-23 for clearances, headed clearances, blocks and aerial duels won - ranking up of nan likes of Arsenal's Gabriel and Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk successful those metrics.

While not being renowned for goals, Tarkowski has scored astatine slightest erstwhile successful nan past 7 Premier League seasons - and he saved his 2024-25 publication for thing special, equalising successful nan 98th infinitesimal successful nan last men's Merseyside derby astatine Goodison Park.