We’ve been waiting so long to see Jean-Philippe Gbamin play for Everton again, but there’s a chance he won’t feature for us until the following campaign.
According to Football Insider, we’re weighing up loaning Gbamin out in January for the remainder of the season. The 25-year-old is close to returning to full training and should be available for selection in December.
With Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Andre Gomes, Fabian Delph, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Tom Davies for competition, however, he may struggle for playing time. You can understand why Everton want to loan him out, but it’s crazy how little we’ve seen the midfielder since he joined in 2019.
Gbamin can’t get a break
The Ivorian international has made only two appearances in all competitions since joining from 1.FSV Mainz 05 in August 2019, amassing a paltry 135 minutes of football.
Gbamin made his debut in our 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace (August 10, 2019) and started our 1-0 win over Watford (August 17) but suffered a thigh injury that kept him out until the new year after undergoing surgery.
The 25-year-old was training in the early months of 2020 before Covid-19 delayed his comeback and he suffered a serious achilles injury ahead of football’s return in June that would rule him out for six months.
What condition will he be in?
This is the key question. Gbamin is nearing a recovery and will soon be available for selection, but his match fitness will be shot and he won’t be the sharpest after so long out.
Everton are without a win in their last four Premier League games and have lost their last three, but it’s hard to see Carlo Ancelotti dropping one of Allan, Doucoure, Gomes, Delph, Sigurdsson or Davies for Gbamin.
There’s a slim chance he could get a few minutes from the bench before being loaned out, but it’s more likely Everton will give him opportunities in the U23s. If Gbamin can put himself in the shop window playing under David Unsworth, he should receive offers from suitors when the winter transfer window opens.
Whether Gbamin will ever nail down a regular starting place at Goodison Park in the future is unknown, however. Here’s hoping he can turn things around on Merseyside.
In other news, Everton may not lose Moise Kean after all