David Moyes reveals Everton surgery blow and sends Jarrad Branthwaite transfer warning

David Moyes discussed the Everton injury latest and the future of Jarrad Branthwaite at his press conference this morning

Everton manager David Moyes has revealed Jesper Lindstrom has undergone surgery and given an update on the fitness of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. And the Blues boss has also issued a stern warning to clubs interested in signing Jarrad Branthwaite.

Everton continue their tough run of fixtures when they travel to third-placed Nottingham Forest on Saturday (3pm). While they will be able to welcome back left-back Vitalii Mykolenko after he missed last weekend's 1-1 draw at home to second-placed Arsenal, on-loan winger Lindstrom is now unlikely to play again this season.

That leaves Moyes short in wide areas because while Dwight McNeil will be named in the squad for the trip to the City Ground, he is not yet considered fit enough to start.

Speaking at his press conference this morning, Moyes said: "Jesper has had a hernia operation yesterday so that will rule Jesper out for most of the season now.

"That's disappointing for him and for us because he started to show some decent form in the last month or so and he was an important player for us.

"We've got Myko (Mykolenko) back on the grass training and Dwight is back. We're trying to get him up to speed but he's certainly in and around things."

Midfielder Orel Mangala, who like Lindstrom is on loan at the Blues, will not play again this season, while forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose contract runs out at the end of the campaign, is still at least three weeks away from returning to full training.

Moyes said of his No.9: "Dom is out on the grass and he's training well. With it being a hamstring injury, it's not the sort of thing we can speed up greatly and bring him back.

"We're trying to follow all the protocols with it and we're trying not to bring him back too quickly. But we're roughly thinking about another three weeks until we're even talking about him getting back into... I'm not sure if we're talking about full-time training or games yet, but it'll be another three weeks until we start mentioning him."

Moyes, who confirmed he could make changes against Forest as he continues to run the rule over all members of his squad, was also asked about the future of centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, who is expected to be in demand this summer.

The Scot, who is set to visit the club's new stadium for the first time next week, said: "You have to remember Jarrad Branthwaite has got a three-year contract - two years and a year's option so if anything Everton hold all the cards.

"But I also have to say over the journey over many years at Everton we had to sell players - from Wayne Rooney to Mikel Arteta to Joleon Lescott. It's part of being a football manager, especially at certain clubs on the journey when you have to sell to try and build as well.

"But Jarrad is not a player I would want to lose, that's for sure."

Moyes also confirmed that recruitment plans are being put in place now that he believes the Blues have done enough to end any lingering relegation fears.

But he added that contract talks with the players in his squad whose deals run out in the summer will not begin until the club is mathematically safe.

Everton sit 15 points clear of the bottom three with seven games of the campaign to play.