Gbamin leaves Everton for Russian League on loan

Jean-Philippe Gbamin has left Everton for Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow on loan for the remainder of the season.

So, is this the end for Gbamin and his ill-fated time at Everton FC? It looks like it might well be as the Ivory Coast midfielder departs after a nightmare, injury-plagued two and a half years.

It’s been a terrible few years for the player who has perhaps been the most unlucky footballer in the Premier League over these past few seasons.

The midfield enforcer has barely played more than a few matches in a royal blue shirt since his move from Mainz in summer 2019, due to an almost unbelievable series of injuries.

Gbamin has had problem after problem since that high-profile move to England, including even a spell out for toothache!

The Ivory Coast international was bought to replace the departing Idrissa Gueye when he left for PSG but he’s never been able to do so. And, it’s problem that has never been properly resolved, even today, much to Everton’s detriment.

This news has become almost inevitable recently as rumours built and after it seemed clear Rafa Benitez didn’t really want to use him, while he’s not featured at all under Frank Lampard since he took over from the Spaniard.

There is a potential problem with allowing Gbamin to depart in that it leaves Lampard with even fewer options in the engine room.

We’ve seen the consequences of a lack of enough energy, athleticism and physical competitivness in countless recent defeats, especially again in the last two away defeats at Newcastle United and Southampton.

The absence of enough dynamism in the middle of the park has really hurt the Blues for a long time now and has contributed hugely to the awful performances we’ve seen so much of recently.

While Gbamin might not have been the full answer, he could have helped provide an additional body in the middle, at the very least.

With Tom Davies out for the rest of the season, Andre Gomes far from convincing apart from the odd game at Goodison Park and Abdoulaye Doucoure only just returning from his latest injury, it does leave the Toffees boss with few choices.

And, it also underlines the desperate need for additional options in midfield, which I thought should have been a priority in the January transfer window.

Although Donny van de Beek was added on deadline day, Everton needed a more box-to-box defensive player alongside him.

Hopefully, Doucoure is close to returning and we have to keep our fingers crossed he doesn’t suffer another injury because Lampard’s resources are stretched thin, even more so now with Gbamin’s departure.