Everton hope Jean-Phillippe Gbamin will be back in two months, despite reports claiming the new signing could miss three months of action with a thigh injury.
Everton have been dealt an early-season injury blow with the news Gbamin, who arrived at Goodison Park from Mainz for £25m during the summer transfer window, will be out of action for a significant spell.
Paul Joyce of the Times and the BBC Sport’s chief football writer Phil McNulty claim the Toffees will be without the services of the Ivory Coast international for the next three months.
That would mean the 23-year-old, who featured in his side’s opening two Premier League games, would miss some crucial games – including the visits of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur to Goodison.
However, it would give the midfielder a chance of returning in time for the first Merseyside derby of the season – at Anfield on December 4.
Gbamin missed Friday’s 2-0 loss to Aston Villa after sustaining what the club described as a “significant” injury in training.
Speaking after the game at Villa Park, Everton boss Marco Silva admitted the injury is “more significant than expected”, adding that it “will be some weeks” before the player is ready to return.
Gbamin will have further tests this week and it is hoped there will be no need for surgery, which could boost Everton’s hopes of getting him back in two months.
Almost exactly a year ago, he suffered a torn muscle fibre in the adductor area during the Bundesliga match between Mainz and Stuttgart, which kept him out for four weeks.
The adductor muscles of the hip are a group of muscles mostly used for bringing the thighs together (called adduction) so this injury could be similar to a problem the player has suffered before.
The Toffees’ midfield ranks have already been depleted by a pre-season groin injury to Fabian Delph and the suspension of Morgan Schneiderlin, but Tom Davies is now likely to get more opportunities to feature.
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