Romelu Lukaku reacts as massive Everton midfielder news emerges
Romelu Lukaku has sent a message on Instagram after it was confirmed that Everton star Orel Mangala will miss the rest of the season.
Since joining the Blues on loan from Lyon last summer, the 26-year-old has made 19 Premier League appearances and was vital in David Moyes’ back-to-back wins over Tottenham and Brighton.
However, as per The Athletic on Thursday (30 January), Mangala suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury late in the win over the Seagulls and will now be ruled out until next season.
Mangala’s Belgium teammate and ex-Everton striker Lukaku reacted on Instagram to the news, sending the Toffees loanee a message that said: “Courage, my bro. You know what I’m talking about.”
Everton suffer crushing Orel Mangala injury blow
Mangala has been a key player for Everton this season both for Sean Dyche and new manager Moyes.
He joined the Toffees on loan from Lyon on 30 August and has played in every single match he’s been available for in all competitions since then.
In the league, he’s started 14 of the 19 games he’s been registered for and scored his first goal for the club – and in English football – in the 4-0 demolition of Wolves in December.
He’ll be a big miss for Moyes now but luckily, the transfer window is open for a few more days to potentially get in a replacement for the 23-times Belgium international.
As it stands, Moyes has several options to play in the defensive midfield role during Mangala’s absence.
James Garner, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Idrissa Gueue can play there. The emergence of youth talent Harrison Armstrong could allow one of them to fill the void left by the injured loan star.
However, the best option will definitely be to make the most of the final few days of the transfer window to bolster not only the midfield but also the strike force due to another injury in Moyes’ squad.
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