Everton officially announced that James Tarkowski has signed a two-year contract extension, which will run until June 2028. The 32-year-old center-back has been a key player in Everton's defense since joining on a free transfer from Burnley in the summer of 2022. To date, he has made 128 appearances for Everton in all competitions and serves as vice-captain.  

Following his contract extension, James Tarkowski expressed his pride in continuing to represent a club with "proud and genuine" fans and looked forward to embarking on a promising new chapter with Everton.  

James Tarkowski said: "I am incredibly excited and proud to continue wearing the Everton jersey. The past few years have been full of ups and downs, with tough moments and exciting moments. We have overcome those challenges together and I believe the future will be even more positive and exciting. From the beginning of this season, our goals have been very clear."  

“So far, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time playing under head coach David Moyes, who has set a clear direction for the club. Under his leadership, our results and overall performance have improved significantly, and the team is steadily moving towards its set goals.”  

"I signed because I wanted to be part of this journey. Now it's up to us as players to unite and lead the team towards our goals."  

James Tarkowski said of the unique qualities of Evertonians: "They are proud and genuine people, and you can always feel their attitude and emotions directly. I guess I am also that frank person. I love this club very much and I have truly enjoyed my time here, even though the environment has been a little turbulent at times."  

“I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to captain the team on several occasions, and each time it is a huge honor. Everyone knows that Seamus is the real captain, and I just do my best to support him. Every time I wear the captain's armband, I feel a huge sense of pride.”  

James Tarkowski, who started 111 consecutive Premier League games, just two shy of Wayne Bridge's record for an outfield player, suffered a hamstring injury in April. Now fully fit, the defender, who has twice represented England, says he's better than ever.  

He admitted: "The injury at the end of last season was my first real injury in a long time. I invested a lot of time and energy in recovery. Indeed, I have always hoped that I can be someone the team can rely on. I am very proud of this and hope to continue to maintain this reliability in the future."  

"Sometimes I have to play with injuries, but that's not uncommon for players; you have to persevere. Now I hope to continue to play a few high-quality games. I have accumulated a lot of experience and I know my own style of play very well and how to perform at my best. At the same time, I also hope to become a true leader. Not only on match days, but also on the training ground and off the field, guiding and supporting my teammates to help the team continue to improve."  

Everton remain unbeaten at their new 52,769-capacity Hill Dickinson Stadium. In their most recent match, they came from behind to defeat Crystal Palace 2-1. Jack Grealish scored a crucial stoppage-time goal to seal the win.  

James Tarkowski said: "When we left Goodison Park, we talked a lot about what the new stadium would look like. The current performance is quite ideal, with two wins and two draws in the league, which may give us more confidence in the game. However, for me, the more impressive thing is the atmosphere there. Many people asked me what it felt like to play in the new stadium, and I can say that it was one of the best atmospheres I have ever experienced in my career."  

“Goodison Park has been home to many memorable moments, but the atmosphere at every game so far has been exceptional. It’s a rare and wonderful experience for me to be able to play at a stadium like this every other week.”  

James Tarkowski admitted: "It has always been my dream to participate in European competitions. I participated in the European qualifiers with Burnley before, but failed to advance to the group stage, so I hope to actually advance this time. This is not only the goal of the head coach, but also the common pursuit of the entire team. So far, our start to the season has been ideal. Although there is still room for improvement, our overall performance is good. We will do our best to strive for European qualification and let the passion of the European arena continue in our new home."