James Alan Tarkowski (born 19 November 1992) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Everton.

After his spell at Blackburn, Tarkowski had a stint playing senior football at Maine Road in the North West Counties League.

[17] Tarkowski crowned his run of appearances by scoring his first senior goal for the club on the final day of the season in a 2–1 win over Carlisle United.

[27] Tarkowski was an ever-present in Oldham's runs to the Northern Area semi-final of the Football League Trophy and the third round of the FA Cup.

[28] He started the FA Cup third round tie against Premier League team Liverpool at Anfield and scored an 82nd minute own goal, which consigned the Latics to a 2–0 defeat.

[39] Another yellow card in a 0–0 draw with Wigan Athletic on 18 October saw him incur a suspension and he failed to appear again until 28 December,[37] scoring what proved to be Wolverhampton Wanderers' winner with an own goal in a 2–1 defeat.

[41] Tarkowski had the opportunity to convert a late penalty to make it two goals in two games in the following match against Wigan Athletic, but his miss made little difference with the Bees already 3–0 ahead.

[47] Amidst a number of transfer bids,[48] Tarkowski was internally disciplined for refusing to play in Brentford's match versus Burnley on 15 January 2016,[49] for which he later apologised.

[51] Tarkowski made his club debut on 20 February against Rotherham United, entering as a substitute in the first half for Michael Keane, who was forced off with a head injury.

[53] However, Keane was preferred by manager Sean Dyche at right centre-back upon his return to fitness as Tarkowski was limited to one substitution appearance the rest of the season.

In third position in the table at the time of Tarkowski's signing, Burnley went unbeaten the rest of the season as they won their third ever second-tier title and direct promotion to the Premier League on their first attempt.

Tarkowski was handed the captain's armband for Burnley's 1–0 extra-time defeat to fourth-tier Accrington Stanley in the EFL Cup on 24 August, after Dyche had made 10 changes to the team that upset Liverpool four days prior.

[55] Unable to crack the preferred centre-back partnership of Keane and Ben Mee,[56] Tarkowski received scant playing time, despite being an ever-present on the bench.

Tarkowski endured being hit by an object thrown by a Palace fan during celebrations of Ashley Barnes' opening goal en route to a clean sheet.

During the summer transfer window, teammate Michael Keane departed for Everton, allowing Tarkowski to line up with Mee in the centre of Burnley's defence on a full-time basis.

[63] His 17 clearances in the match were the most by anyone in the Premier League that season, besting a mark previously held by himself in Burnley's surprise opening day victory over Chelsea.

[74] On 12 February 2025, in the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, captain Tarkowski scored a dramatic last-minute equaliser as Everton drew 2–2 with league leaders Liverpool.