Jean-Philippe Gbamin is in his third season as an Everton player as he looks to establish a role under Rafa Benitez, having only played four times since moving to Goodison Park.
Marco Silva and Director of Football Marcel Brands splashed £25m to buy the Ivory Coast anchor from Mainz in 2018. Gbamin was supposed to be the heir to Idrissa Gueye’s throne on Merseyside, but has faced injury after injury since.
His problems in Royal Blue stem back to his Toffees debut at Crystal Palace in August 2018. The Athletic once noted Silva gave Gbamin his bow after just three-weeks in training after injuries to Andre Gomes and Morgan Schneiderlin saw Everton’s options dwindle.
Unfortunately for Gbamin, he sustained a quadriceps injury in training days after Everton faced Watford. And following two operations, he required yet another round of surgery the following summer for an achilles tendon injury following an innocuous training incident.
The issues meant Gbamin was back on the sidelines until this April when he played 11-minutes against Crystal Palace. However, scans soon revealed medial collateral ligament damage in his knee from another incident at Finch Farm.
Gbamin was in Everton’s treatment room until this season when he played his first 90-minutes in two-years. Starting and seeing out the Blues’ Carabao Cup win at Huddersfield Town in August. But his wait for Premier League minutes under Benitez continues.
Benitez wants to see more from Gbamin
Benitez has awarded Gbamin a seat on the bench for five of Everton’s nine Premier League fixtures so far this season. But he is yet to step over the touchline and onto the pitch in the top-flight under the Spaniard.
The Liverpool Echo now report Benitez wants to see more from Gbamin in training before he features regularly for Everton. The Ivorian must show greater consistency at Finch Farm to prove once and for all he is ready. Even though the £65k-a-week midfielder feels he is as fit as he has ever been since first arriving on Merseyside.
Potentially soon handing Benitez an enforcer Carlo Ancelotti believed could play a big role in his midfield while in charge at Everton, only for Gbamin’s continued injury issues. The Italian told EvertonTV in April, following the 26-year-old’s first appearance in 597-days:
“Jean-Philippe has a great desire to play. He is a good guy, he is calm and focused. He has all the qualities – technically and physically – of a top midfielder. This season we have to be patient with him. He was out for a long time. But he is here, and he is working well. He will be important for us. With a strong character, he can be a top midfielder in the future.”
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