Everton bring in Mainz midfielder Gbamin to replace Gueye

Everton have confirmed the signing of Jean-Philippe Gbamin from Bundesliga club Mainz for an undisclosed fee reported to be £25million.

Idrissa Gueye's transfer to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday left a void in Everton's midfield, with boss Marco Silva having previously confirmed the club would need a replacement lined up if the Senegal international were to leave. Despite links to Southampton's Mario Lemina, it is Gbamin who has been brought in, with the 23-year-old agreeing a five-year deal at Goodison Park.

"It's a big moment with a lot of emotion and now it’s on me to prove on the pitch why they bought me," Gbamin told Everton's website. "I'm excited because Everton is a great club here in England with a big history and ambition so I didn't think for more than a moment - I wanted to come here."

 

August 2, 2019

Gbamin, who joined Mainz from Lens in 2016, made 31 appearances in the Bundesliga last season, scoring twice. The Ivory Coast international is also capable of playing at right-back and centre-back, and becomes Everton's fourth signing of the close season after Jonas Lossl, Andre Gomes and Fabian Delph.

Everton look set to make a fifth addition in the coming days, with Juventus striker Moise Kean reportedly due to undergo a medical on Saturday ahead of a proposed £29million move from the Serie A champions.