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What's the story?
Everton have officially confirmed the signing of 23-year-old Jean-Philippe Gbamin from Mainz 05. The defensive midfielder joins on a five-year deal which will last until the end of June 2024.
In case you didn't know...
Jean-Philippe Gbamin was an academy product of RC Lens. In 2013, the defensive midfielder broke into the first-team squad. Three years later, he joined German side Mainz 05.
At Mainz, Gbamin made 95 appearances and scored three times for the club in all competitions.
The defensive midfielder had previously represented France but decided to play for Ivory Coast due to his parent's nationalities and his birthplace.
The heart of the matter
Everton FC have officially signed the Gbamin from Mainz 05 for a transfer fee reported to be around £25 million.
Gbamin joins the Merseyside club following the departure of Idrissa Gueye earlier in the week. The Ivory Coast international is the fourth signing of the summer for the Toffees.
In his interview with evertontv, Gbamin explained,
"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."
"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."
"I like to go in the duels. I like to run a lot and tackle. I also pass good and have a good transition. All the rest, the fans will see. I will give everything on the pitch."
Marco Silva also spoke highly about the new signing. He said,
"Jean-Philippe is a player who has developed really well during the last three seasons and achieved a very good level of performance playing in a high level competition like the Bundesliga."
"He is ready for this challenge - to come and help us to keep getting better. He is full of ambition to play for Everton, fits with our model and he will give us different solutions in our midfield."
What's next?
Everton will be hoping for a great season in the Premier League and they are also expected to confirm the arrival of highly-rated striker Moise Kean from Juventus soon.
