According to The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland, Everton midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin is steadily closing in on a return to full training following series of setbacks.

The Ivory Coast international arrived at Goodison Park from Bundesliga side Mainz for £23 million last summer, but made just two appearances before injuring his quadriceps and sustaining a tendon issue in his right leg while taking a shot during a training session at Finch Farm.

Gbamin was expected to be out for around just two months, but has spent the last eight months on the sidelines, with two relapses and two surgeries on his right quadriceps muscle.

The 24-year-old has gone under the knife to repair a tendon and to clean the scar tissue on the injured thigh, and it appears that manager Carlo Ancelotti is planning to bring in another defensive midfielder this summer.

The Athletic journalist claims that the Toffees boss has already resolved to rectify his side’s lack of a midfield enforcer in the next transfer market, and the decision could further deal a blow on Gbamin’s first-team chances.

The Premier League is hoping to return to action behind closed doors by June, with Arsenal already back in training.

It remains to be seen if the Ivorian will be able to join the first-team training immediately, but he is putting in a lot of hardwork into his recovery, with first-team physio Adam Newall supervising him as he trains twice a day and six times a week in a bid to get back as soon as possible. 

Gbamin does stretching and mobility exercises in the morning and cardiovascular and strength training later in the day.

The club are pleased with his progress and are hoping he will undergo a three-week period of reintegration once the squad returns to training.

It will be interesting to see if he will ever become the Idrissa Gueye replacement he was tipped to be, and the next couple of weeks and months could play a huge role in his Everton future.