Gbamin out until 2021 with further injury setback

Everton midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin is likely to be ruled out until 2021 with an Achilles tendon injury.

Gbamin, 24, sustained the injury in training today (Thursday, May 28) and is the latest episode of bad luck in the Ivorian midfielder’s career at Goodison Park. No other player was reportedly involved in the innocuous incident, which will see Gbamin face a further several months on the sidelines.

Since Everton signed Gbamin from German club Mainz 05 in August 2019 for £25 million, the midfielder has made just two appearances following a thigh injury picked up later that month.

This latest setback is entirely disconnected to that initial issue, which worsened after needing surgery following his return to light training in October. The news also means it will almost certainly have been more than a year out for Gbamin when he eventually returns to the pitch.

Just two days ago in an interview with evertontv the midfielder expressed how he was raring to go -

“It is great to be back at Finch Farm with my teammates. I have my feeling back that I can get playing again. Training has been good. I worked a lot with Adam (Newall) in the past week, with social distancing in place.

“We worked outside and did some ball work which was great for me to do after the lockdown. I am doing all the things the other players are doing with the ball and I hope to be able to join in full sessions with them soon, depending on what we are told is safe to do.

“I am training with a view to playing this season if the Premier League returns. I feel good, fully recovered and I am ready. We are taking it slowly because it was a big injury. It was not easy but I think if the games start to be played in the Premier League then I think I can play.

“I hope I can bring the quality I have. If I can help the team to go up the league then that would be great. I will be doing my maximum for the team. I can’t wait to play. It has been a long time that I haven’t played football so I know it is going to be hard to start but I am ready for this and I can’t wait for that day to come.”

Gbamin suffered no significantly lengthy injuries in his career prior to joining Everton, making at least 26 appearances in each of the previous six seasons with French side RC Lens and later Mainz.

His two outings in royal blue so far came in the opening pair of games of 2019-20; as a half-time substitute in the 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace, and the 1-0 home win over Watford, in which he completed the match.

The news of his long term injury will add more pressure on the club’s leadership to pursue at least a couple of midfielders when the summer transfer window opens after the 2019-20 season finally concludes.