Everton handed injury boost as Jean-Philippe Gbamin will not need surgery

Jean-Philippe Gbamin will not need surgery on the knee injury that has ruled him out for the rest of the season, Everton have announced.

It emerged on Monday, ahead of the Toffees’ 0-0 draw at Brighton, that Gbamin had suffered a fresh setback in the form of a contact knee injury sustained during training at the weekend.

And Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti subsequently confirmed the Ivory Coast midfielder would not play again this term.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the club said Gbamin had undergone a scan in London the previous day, that it was a “medial collateral ligament knee contact injury”, and that an operation was not needed.

The 25-year-old’s latest injury comes after he had only just made a return to action, in the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on April 5.

It was his first appearance since August 2019, the month he joined the club from Mainz.

Gbamin played twice for his new club before being sidelined by a quadriceps problem and then an Achilles injury.