Everton manager David Moyes will have to wait a little longer to have Jarrad Branthwaite back in his team(Image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Jarrad Branthwaite returned to Finch Farm this week after having surgery on his hamstring injury. The Everton centre-back underwent an operation on Tuesday, later posting on social media to say the process had been a success.

The 23-year-old is now set for a challenging period of rehabilitation as he seeks a return to action after an absence that has already extended beyond two months.

His last game for Everton came in August, in the final pre-season friendly against Roma, though he had been dealing with issues with the same hamstring since the final weeks of last season.

The setback suffered by Branthwaite was particularly cruel because it came with him just days from a return to the first team.

He had already started working with the first team at the...