Centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite is closing in on an Everton comeback as the Merseyside club continue their preparations for the up-and-coming trip to Leeds United. An unspecified injury ruled Branthwaite out of the Toffees' pre-season tour of America.

David Moyes is expecting Everton to seal some more incoming transfers this week as his team returns from the USA. The Blues boss started the trip saying he needed to bring in “nine or 10” new signings but,

It was impossible not to see Moyes in animated conversation with Tomas Soucek, someone he knows so well from his time at West Ham, at Chicago's Soldier Field last Wednesday, and think that is exactly the kind of player Everton need; solid, experienced, dependable.