Coleman signs for one more year as Branthwaite talks near resolution

Seamus Coleman has put pen to paper on another one-year contract extension that means he will take Everton into the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock as Club captain.

The Irishman, famously the Blues' best bargain signing as a £60,000 acquisition from Sligo Rovers in 2009, signs on for his seventeenth season after agreeing terms on a 12-month deal that will take him beyond his 37th birthday.

Manager David Moyes had stressed when asked about Coleman's future a few weeks ago that he was keen to keep the skipper in the team and in the dressing room where his invaluable experience and leadership could continue to influence his fellow players this coming season.

How many games the Killybegs-born full-back will be able to play in 2025/26 remains to be seen. He managed just six starts last term in what was an injury-ravaged campaign and, privately, he has admitted how difficult it is at his age with recurring calf issues and the time needed to recuperate when he does play.

His presence in the dressing room has been hugely important in recent years, however, as Everton have battled relegation and long periods of poor form under a succession of managers. Under Sean Dyche, he was known to occasionally give pre-match or half-time team talks when the side has needed either inspiration or to be reminded of what the Toffees losing their top-flight status would have done to the fans.

“I love Everton so to continue playing for this special club means everything to me and my family,” Coleman told evertonfc.com.

“Like every one of our passionate fans, I’ve lived and breathed what has been a difficult past few years for the Club and have put my heart and soul into doing all I can to help us get through it.

“Thanks to the hard work of many people, we’ve been able to get into our magnificent new stadium and pave the way for a brighter future under ambitious new owners, which I want to be part of.

“In David Moyes, we have the perfect manager to lead us into a new era. He showed his abilities once again with the way he had us playing after returning last season.

“As the man who brought me to Everton, I can’t speak highly enough of him. He gets this football club, the standards required every day, and what it means to play for Everton.

“He has helped stabilise the Club since his return and we have a manager who cares about Everton as much as I do."

Further good news is expected in the coming days amid reports from highly-placed sources that Jarrad Branthwaite is close to agreeing a new contract with Everton.

Talks with the 23-year-old and his representatives appear close to being finalised along with a deal that would tie him to the Club until 2030.

Branthwaite, who was courted by Manchester United last summer and has been linked with the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham in recent weeks, has two more years left on his current terms, although Everton have an option to extend that by another 12 months.