Carlo Ancelotti has told Jean-Philippe Gbamin to "take your time" with his recovery in the hope of putting a season of injury hell behind him.
And while the Everton manager said, at the beginning of last month, that he thought the 25-year-old could be fit for the start of next season, it is understood that the club are, at this stage, expecting Gbamin to need until later into the autumn to be fully ready.
Ancelotti, in an update issued today, says the £25m signing from Mainz will be back in "some time" but didn't put a specific timescale on his recovery, ahead of the new season which starts in just less than six weeks' time.
The Everton boss says he is in regular contact with Gbamin who has required three bouts of surgery since joining the club last summer over a damaged quadriceps and an Achilles problem.
“After Jean-Philippe's first injury, we were so glad when he came back and started training individually,” Ancelotti said.
“He showed a good condition and we were really sad when he had this new problem.
“Now we hope he is going to be okay and in some time he will be ready again.
“I hope for him this moment can help him be stronger and have even more character and personality.
“This is what happened to me – I was out for two years with injury and I came back with more strength, more mental strength.
“This situation can help Gbamin to be a really strong man.”
Ancelotti says Gbamin has found his situation, with injury restricting him to just 135 minutes of football at Everton, tough but has told the midfielder recover at his own pace.
“I have spoken with Jean-Philippe a lot,” he added.
“We spent time talking. Some days he was not happy because of what happened, having another injury.
“Mentally it was difficult for him. I told him, ‘Don’t worry, take your time’.
“For him, it is important to take time to recover well and comfortably.
“And of course, I will stay in touch with him.”
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