Everton bring in Mainz midfielder Gbamin following Gueye departure

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.”

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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.