Jean-Philippe Gbamin “three or four weeks” from full training

Jean-Philippe Gbamin feels he is three or four weeks away from being back in full training.

The 24-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder, who signed from Mainz in a £25m deal, played just 135 minutes for Everton before suffering a tendon injury in his right quadriceps muscle.

Although the training ground injury was originally scheduled to keep the midfielder out of action for 8 weeks, complications and setbacks has meant he’s been sidelined through injury for 9 months.

“It is great to be back at Finch Farm with my teammates. I have my feeling back that I can get playing again,” said Gbamin to evertonfc.com. “Training has been good. I worked a lot with Adam Newall (First Team Physiotherapist) in the past week, with social distancing in place.

“We worked outside and did some ball work which was great for me to do after the lockdown. I am doing all the things the other players are doing with the ball and I hope to be able to join in full sessions with them soon, depending on what we are told is safe to do.

“I am training with a view to playing this season if the Premier League returns. I feel good, fully recovered and I am ready. We are taking it slowly because it was a big injury. It was not easy but I think if the games start to be played in the Premier League then I think I can play.

“I hope I can bring the quality I have. If I can help the team to go up the league then that would be great. I will be doing my maximum for the team. I can’t wait to play. It has been a long time that I haven’t played football so I know it is going to be hard to start but I am ready for this and I can’t wait for that day to come.

“I had been alone at home doing my work and it is not easy but there were challenges for everybody and I just kept working hard as I want to play football again,.

“I spoke with Adam a lot on FaceTime and he sent me a programme each week to work on. Danny Donachie (Director of Medical Services) helped me get some gym equipment to make it easier to do my rehab.

“My day would be mixed up of gym work at home and then going for a jog in the park in Liverpool. Now we are back at Finch Farm I’m hopeful of more progress.

“My focus is to get back up to 100 per cent. I won’t get there straight away because I’ve not had much football in my legs but that will come.

“Since my operation everything has gone well. I feel like in three or four weeks I can be back in full training and be ready to go.”