According to a recent tweet by The Times’ renowned journalist Paul Joyce, Everton have agreed on a £25m deal to bring Mainz midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin to Merseyside during this summer transfer period.
Gbamin’s Recent Emergence In The German Top-Flight
The San-Pedro born defensive midfielder fought his way up the youth ranks of RC Lens before he completed his switch to Mainz in the summer transfer window of 2016. The Ivory Coast prospect enjoyed a solid campaign in the Bundesliga after he put in a series of dominant performances at the centre of Sandro Schwarz’s midfield last season.
Gbamin appeared in 33 matches for the German outfit in the previous term, finding the back of the net twice while grabbing one assist on all fronts. However, it was his stellar defensive displays that stole the show after he made an average of 1.6 tackles, 1.0 interceptions and 0.9 clearances per game in the top tier of Germany (stats via Whoscored).
The 23-year-old has also played for France at various youth levels but has opted to represent Ivory Coast at the senior level. The Bundesliga anchorman has already secured five international caps for Ivory Coast so far. He was also an integral asset for his nation in the 2019 African Cup of Nations which concluded last month.
What Will The Ivorian Midfield Ace Add To Silva’s Side?
Gbamin is moderately paced and can spray some accurate passes from midfield. He is a dominant presence at the middle of the pitch and is renowned for his defensive work-rate inside his own half. The Ivory Coast international is an excellent tackler and can make some vital interceptions for his side. Thus, he could prove to be an ideal replacement for Idrissa Gueye who has left Everton in favour of a move to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this summer.
The Mainz midfielder is an exceptional talent who could turn out to be a decent acquisition for the Toffees. He is versatile enough to play in multiple positions across the football pitch. Gbamin predominantly operates plays as a defensive midfielder but can also fill in as a centre-half if required.
The Bundesliga rising star’s versatility and athleticism will add some much-needed bite to Marco Silva’s midfield at Goodison Park. His addition will undeniably help Everton compete across all competitions in the upcoming campaign.
