View: Caution needed as Gbamin edges closer to Everton return
Jean-Philippe Gbamin has edged closer to making his Everton comeback after having returned to training with Carlo Ancelotti’s first-team squad.
The 25-year old midfielder hasn’t played for the club since August 2019 after suffering a string of successive lengthy injuries that have made him a permanent fixture on the sidelines.
However, Ancelotti explained earlier this month that he had hopes that the Ivory Coast international would be able to feature before the season concludes.
Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Everton finally unveiled Gbamin’s return in a series of images that show the former Mainz man in senior training with the rest of Ancelotti’s squad.
Though Ancelotti hasn’t yet provided a return date for the midfielder, it does appear as though he is edging ever closer to running out at Goodison Park once again.
Despite this positive news though, Everton now find themselves in a difficult position where they have to temper expectations and take care to ensure the player doesn’t get rushed back into action.
Gbamin has been unavailable for such a long time and he has been plagued with such a variety of injuries over the past two years that Everton simply cannot afford to have him suffer yet another setback.
Everton could have European football to contend with next season, and if they are able to qualify they will need to increase their stock of players with quality who can contribute throughout the season.
In that sense, Gbamin’s return is far from insignificant because it will inform Ancelotti ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window. His return will allow the Italian coach to form a better idea of exactly what he needs from the transfer market.
Despite this though the Toffees have to be careful that they don’t rush him back for the sake of it. Ancelotti is right to feel that the long-term needs [evertonfc] should outweigh the short-term desires of both the player and the club.
In other Everton news, Dutch legend Ruud Gullit has blamed Everton for mishandling Davy Klaassen during his time at the club.