Ramiro Funes-Mori has recovered from a knee injury by featuring for Everton’s Under-23 side.
Everton defender Ramiro Funes Mori has told the club’s official website that manager Sam Allardyce will decide when he is ready to return to the first team after appearing for the club’s Under-23 side on Monday night.
The 26-year-old played 45 minutes of the Toffees’ 4-0 Premier League 2 loss to Arsenal, and is now eyeing a return to the first team as he looks to show Argentina he is worth a place in Jorge Sampaoli’s World Cup squad.
“That was my first 45 minutes, so the manager will now decide when I can get in the first team. But I am feeling good and ready to come back,” Funes Mori said. But will the Argentinian actually be afforded any first-team football?
The Toffees lured Michael Keane to Goodison Park in the summer, pushing Funes Mori down the pecking order while the breakthrough form of Mason Holgate could also see the former River Plate defender struggle to regain his place.
But the nail in the coffin could have come in January, as Everton landed the loan signing of Eliaquim Mangala from Manchester City until the end of the season.
With the trio fighting for a place at centre-back alongside Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka, Funes Mori could be considered sixth-choice at Goodison Park and his chances for first-team football almost completely scuppered.
The Toffees have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and the Europa League, meaning Funes Mori has no chance of being able to show Allardyce what he is capable of outside of the Premier League.
It seems as though his only chance of achieving first-team minutes will be an injury crisis at the back, or astounding former England manager Allardyce in training.
Funes Mori has it all to do if he is to fight his way back into the Everton first team, and even more to conquer if he is to book his place on the plane to Russia this summer.
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