Some Everton supporters were very critical of Jean-Philippe Gbamin’s debut display on social media, but he is receiving a lot of backing now.
Gbamin endured a difficult debut for Everton against Crystal Palace, with the central midfielder thrown in at the deep end.
An injury to Andre Gomes meant that Gbamin was given his first Everton appearance much sooner than Marco Silva would have planned.
The 23-year-old struggled, which was hardly surprising given his lack of time in training with his new club.
But some Everton fans voiced concerns about his display on social media.
Gbamin has now issued a statement saying that he is not entirely fit.
“I am not 100 per cent ready just yet – and I need to be faster – but I’ve had only one week of training with the team, so I will keep going and work very hard,” he said.
And some Everton fans are embarrassed that their new signing has already felt the need to come out and make the comments.
Gbamin could well be required to start again for Everton at the weekend, as their options in midfield are already short.
Morgan Schneiderlin will be suspended, while Gomes could miss weeks with an ankle injury.
Gbamin could, therefore, get his chance and the youngster will hope to put in an improved display at Saturday at Goodison Park, with another week’s training under his belt.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
