Before Jean-Philippe Gbamin joined Everton, there was plenty of debate about where he might play.
Everton had signed him as a replacement for Idrissa Gana Gueye, but plenty believed that the Blues were signing themselves a new centre back.
That came about because Gbamin had played as a centre-back on numerous occasions for former club Mainz.
Indeed, Gbamin’s career is littered with him playing in various positions, with the player having shown a willingness to fill in across the midfield and in defence should the situation require.
That’s something that has to stop according to his agent Bernard Collignon, who believes the time has arrived for his client to decide for the best of his future.
“It is time for him to choose a position and to assert himself at this position (central defence),” he told Sport Mania.
“According to me in central defence, he will become a player who will be worth more than €60m.
“So it’s time for him in central defence because, in my opinion, that’s where he would make an excellent career.
“In his first professional game in Lens, he was put in the right side; he can help out in several positions; however, he cannot excel at all positions.
“He is a victim of his versatility and the fact he is a utility player… the kind of player who thinks of others before thinking of himself, which is rare in this environment.
“At almost 24 years old, you have to make a choice. I have been Jean-Philippe’s agent since he was 15. I know him off by heart, and I am convinced that he would make a great career in central defence.”
Unfortunately for Gbamin, he’s unlikely ever to get his chance to play centre back at Goodison Park.
Yerry Mina and Michael Keane are the first choice central defenders at the club at present, and Everton are desperate to add to that as soon as possible, which wouldn’t be the case if they were considering Gbamin for the role.
What is interesting is Collignon’s assertion that he is the midfielder’s agent given that the player himself claimed back in the summer that Gregory Gelabert was his only representative.
That was strange in itself given there’s a long history of Collignon talking about Gbamin as his agent and, like the positional situation, it seems it’s time for the player to decide on that particular situation as well.
