Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Mason Holgate haven’t done anything to suggest they’ve got a long-term future at Everton under Rafa Benitez.
That’s the verdict of the ECHO’s David Prentice who explained why there are major concerns over the pair in the Royal Blue podcast.
Gbamin, who has played just 192 minutes of Premier League football for Everton since his £25million transfer from Mainz in August 2019, made his first start in the competition for over two years in the 2-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on November 1 but was substituted for Fabian Delph at half-time.
Defender Holgate was subsequently chosen by Benitez ahead of Gbamin to play out of position as Allan’s replacement as an 82 nd minute substitute in last Sunday’s goalless draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
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The Yorkshireman was sent off though just seven minutes later with the Ivory Coast international finally entering the fray a minute from the end when Demarai Gray made way.
Prentice said of Gbamin: “We’ve heard that his performances on the training pitch at Finch Farm have been erratic.
“He’s had good days training but then he’s had two or three really bad days training so you don’t get any level of consistency.
“Is that a result of his time out? Possibly? But when he’s been given opportunities to showcase it in football matches, he’s not produced.
“That Wolves performance was very, very poor. He totally deserved getting hauled off when he did.
“He’s clearly done nothing on the training pitch in the meantime as a reaction from that to warrant being brought on for the last eight minutes at the weekend which is why the manager decided to go with Mason Holgate.
“It has got to be a concern. Rafa’s also made it clear that he wants people in the squad that he can rely on fitness-wise.
“He’s been very frustrated by the number of injuries that he’s had to deal with, he’s already made one change to his fitness and rehabilitation staff and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more changes further down the line.
“So he wants players he can rely on. That’s why he’s looked at the fitness records of Demarai Gray, Andros Townsend and Salomon Rondon before bringing them in because he knows he’s got a certain degree of consistency out of them.
“If Gbamin is going to continue to be unfortunate with his fitness record then that will be another mark against him as well.
“Adam (Jones) talked about why it’s a worrying time for Mason Holgate’s future – and it is – equally it’s a worrying time for Jean-Philippe Gbamin.”
Benitez spent less than £2million on five new faces over the summer but following the departure of top earner James Rodriguez, the easing of Financial Fair Play restrictions could see further reshaping of the Everton squad and Prentice fears Gbamin and Holgate’s places might both be under threat.
He said: “This is a new manager who is still finding out about his squad and wants to rebuild his squad pretty much from scratch and certainly those two players we’ve mentioned there haven’t done anything this season to suggest they’ve got a long-term future under the new manager.
“Holgate was actually made skipper earlier this season against Huddersfield Town in the League Cup so he’s been given opportunities and given responsibility but he’s not taken it and likewise Gbamin.
“You only get so many chances in the Premier League, it’s a very unforgiving environment.
“If you don’t grab those chances when they’re put in front of you, I’m sorry you can’t do much about it.
“The manager will move on and he will bring in other players he feels he can trust and you have to endorse that.”
