Keith Wyness shares verdict on James Garner leaving Everton this summer
Everton may struggle to keep high-profile players after missing out on European football – but James Garner is not expected to leave.
That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that David Moyes is far more likely to make important additions to the team, rather than face losses.
The Toffees looked destined to secure European football in 2025-26, but following a run of seven games without a win, Moyes’ side slipped to a 13th-place finish, the same as last season.
Everton’s transfer chiefs will already be planning for the 2026-27 campaign, but there are concerns that the end-of-season results could impact the team negatively during the summer window.
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VISIT THE EVERTON TRANSFER HUBJames Garner can set example after European ‘disappointment’
There are limited worries about Garner’s future, however. The 25-year-old only just put pen to paper on a new contract, as recently as January, but the same cannot be said for his teammates.
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the Toffees will have to persuade some players to stay.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness said: “There’s no doubt about it. After they’d beaten Chelsea 3-0, things were starting to look up, and everybody was looking forward, and European was always the name connected with Everton.
| Premier League table | Points | Expected finish | Expected points |
| 13. Everton | 49 | 14th | 45.6 |
“It was a very, very disappointing ending to the season. There was no getting away from it. And to finish only one point above where they were last year is a disappointment. I think the issue will be trying to convince the players that this was really just a launching pad.
“I would say it was a near miss and not the ceiling, which is a big difference. And I think that that will be okay. I don’t expect the James Garners or anybody else to be going at all.
“I think there’ll be additions, and I think there’ll be an improvement to the squad in terms of depth. And I think they’ll all be excited to move forward. The squad itself has been quite tight.
“I think they’ll be as disappointed as anybody in the way they finished. So I don’t expect any ramifications in terms of losses of players.”
Which players could leave Everton this summer?
Seamus Coleman has already confirmed his decision to walk away from the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but very few others appear to be heading for the exit doors this summer.
Mick Brown told Football Insider back in February that Tyler Dibling could quit Everton following a disappointing first season on Merseyside, so it would not be a surprise to see him leave.
Garner sent the “right signals” to his Everton teammates when signing a new contract, and Moyes will be hoping that more big names follow suit ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
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