James Garner Faces Race for Fitness After Groin Surgery
Everton’s preparations for the new season have taken an early hit, with James Garner undergoing surgery on a groin problem that has disrupted his pre-season before it truly began.
The midfielder, one of Everton’s standout performers last term, went under the knife after an issue was picked up in the opening days of the summer schedule. What initially required assessment has now become a full medical intervention, forcing Sean Dyche to plan for the possibility of starting the campaign without one of his most reliable players.
The club confirmed the operation was successful and set out a cautious but optimistic timeline: Garner is targeting a return to first-team training around the opening week of the Premier League season, dependent on how his recovery progresses. For a squad already light in central midfield, that caveat matters.
The first warning sign came when Garner was left out of Everton’s opening pre-season friendly against Dundee. At the time, the club described it as a groin issue that needed further checks. Those investigations quickly escalated into a decision to operate, with the 23-year-old now beginning the long, meticulous work of rehabilitation.
Everton said the England international has already started that process at Finch Farm and is “progressing as expected”, with the medical staff closely managing his workload. The timeline is tight. Any setback could push his involvement in the early league fixtures further into doubt.
His absence lands at a delicate moment for Dyche. Idrissa Gueye has already departed after his contract expired this summer, stripping more experience and defensive nous from the middle of the pitch. The club are understood to be in the market for another midfielder, and Garner’s surgery only sharpens that need. What looked like a position to fine-tune is edging towards an area that requires urgent reinforcement.
The disruption was visible on the teamsheet for Saturday’s friendly at Bolton Wanderers, where Garner was one of several notable omissions. Tyler Dibling also missed out with what Everton described as a “minor knock”, while Hayden Hackney, one of three summer signings, sat out as he continues to be “integrated” into the squad following his move from Middlesbrough.
The picture is not entirely bleak. Everton expect both Dibling and Hackney to feature in Tuesday’s friendly at Stoke City, a useful step in building rhythm and understanding in a reshaped midfield unit. Yet Garner’s situation hangs over those preparations.
He was a constant for Dyche last season, a player trusted in multiple roles and in the thick of the club’s survival fight. Removing that influence, even temporarily, changes the feel of Everton’s engine room.
The operation has been done, the rehab has started, and the clock is already ticking. As the opening weekend of the Premier League looms, the question is simple: will one of Everton’s key men be ready to run with them when the season begins?
