Everton bombshell: 27-year-old to undergo surgery
By Alex Stevens
Yannick Bolasie will undergo a second operation on his knee, Ronald Koeman has revealed.
The Everton manager delivered the bombshell news on Thursday afternoon as he gave an update on Bolasie’s recovery from a season-ending knee injury.
The 27-year-old broke down in Everton’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Goodison Park in early December and was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
But it now appears the damage is even more serious than originally envisaged as the initial bout of surgery has not cured the problem.
Koeman explained, as quoted by the live Everton blog in the Liverpool Echo (Thursday, 2.08pm), that Bolasie will now have a second operation on his knee.
The lengthy absence of Bolasie has been a major blow to Koeman, who signed the wide player from Crystal Palace last summer for a fee rising to £28million.
The DR Congo international had a mixed start at Goodison Park, but was able to provide a regular supply line from the flanks and supplied four league assists for his new club as well as one goal of his own from 14 appearances in the competition.
Koeman rejigged his winger options in the January transfer window, signing 19-year-old winger Ademola Lookman from Charlton for a fee rising to £11million and sanctioning the loan exit of Gerard Deulofeu to AC Milan.
In other Everton team news, the club have agreed the terms of an out-of-window striker transfer.
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