Everton have confirmed a major injury blow before the Premier League's resumption, with Jean-Philippe Gbamin suffering another significant setback in training.
The Ivory Coast international suffered a serious Achilles problem in a "non-contact situation" at Everton's Finch Farm base and will undergo surgery next week, with suggestions that he is likely to be sidelined for a further six months.
It is another cruel injury blow for Gbamin, who joined the Toffees from Bundesliga outfit Mainz in a £25million deal in August 2019 as a replacement for Idrissa Gueye following the latter's move to Paris Saint-Germain.
The 24-year-old featured in just two top-flight matches for Everton before quickly suffering a thigh injury that later required an operation and kept him sidelined for the majority of his first campaign in English football.
In a statement, Everton said: "Everyone at the Club is devastated for JP and we will ensure he gets all the support he needs throughout this challenging time."
Gbamin had been training with Everton following that initial injury and earlier this week expressed optimism that he would be fit to play when the 2019-20 Premier League season resumes following its coronavirus shutdown next month.
While Everton did not confirm an exact time frame for his latest recovery, the club said the midfielder will require an "extensive period of rehabilitation" after undergoing more surgery.
