Fears that Orel Mangala damaged ligaments in his knee during Everton’s game against Brighton last Saturday appear to have been confirmed by the Belgian press.
The midfielder remained prone on the turf at the Amex Community Stadium after a heavy challenge with an opponent late in the Blues’ 1-0 win and hobbled off in visible pain.
Early indications suggested that he had suffered a serious knee injury and a report by Het Nieuws Blad in his native Belgium claims that scans on his knee have confirmed that he has ruptuered his anterior cruciate ligement.
That will involve surgery and at least six months on the sidelines, prematurely ending both his season and his increasingly productive loan spell at Everton.
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The news comes as a huge blow to both the player and the Club who will very likely to be forced into the transfer market for both a centre-forward and a central midfielder after Dominic Calvert-Lewin was forced off earlier in the same match with a torn hamstring.
Everton have an option to make Mangala’s loan move from Lyon permanent this summer but both the nature of the injury and the lenghthy rehabilitation required will have thrown his future with the Blues into considerable doubt.
Reader Comments (23)
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Steve Brown
1 Posted
29/01/2025 at
06:30:15
He starts most of our patterns of play, is productive in his passing, and he is the outball for the keeper and defence. He also has a decent shot on him.
He is one of those players who you only really miss when they are unavailable. I think his absence will cause us issues unless Garner is ready, as I dont see Gueye, Doucs, or Tim Iro filling that role with confidence.
Lee Courtliff
2 Posted
29/01/2025 at
06:46:35
Very bad news for both player and club, I just hope he makes a full recovery and regains his previous abilities. That’ll probably be the last we see of him in a Blue shirt, I think he’ll be remembered quite fondly by most of us.
Colin Glassar
3 Posted
29/01/2025 at
06:47:27
Fingers out, messrs Friedkin, Thelwell & Moyes. Time has almost ran out.
Ian Bennett
4 Posted
29/01/2025 at
06:51:21
He will be a miss for us this season. Not sure what the transfer fee would be to get him though. I assume this is a lengthy spell on the sideline, ruling out a perm summer moves?
James Hughes
5 Posted
29/01/2025 at
07:02:26
I recall some genius saying on Saturday that Mangala should have stayed on the pitch and hung around half way line to keep defenders occupied.
Good job they are not looking after the players, Get well soon Orel
Phil Sammon
6 Posted
29/01/2025 at
07:02:44
I think Id sit Doucoure in Mangalas spot and give the attacking mid role to someone who can control, pass or dribble a football.
Sam Hoare
7 Posted
29/01/2025 at
07:10:56
To lose Broja and Mangala and possibly DCL all to long term injuries within a month is very unfortunate and gives Moyes and Thelwell a real January headache with pressure to replace at a time the market is at its trickiest.
Jack Convery
8 Posted
29/01/2025 at
07:15:04
Being practical but as he’s on loan can we now cancel the loan and get someone else in during this window or is it another Broja situation ?
Christy Ring
9 Posted
29/01/2025 at
07:32:38
A big blow and loss, badly need a replacement in, Doucoure isnt the answer. Still wondering why the club hasnt given an update on both injuries?
Sam Hoare
10 Posted
29/01/2025 at
07:48:28
Jack, it is up to the parent club whether they cancel the loan and they would negotiate with us to pay a chunk of the injured players wages. These are the conversations we are likely having right now with Chelsea and Lyon over Broja and Mangala. The Chelsea conversation is more pertinent as were only allowed two domestic loans whereas I think there is no limit on loans from foreign clubs.
Niall McIlhone
11 Posted
29/01/2025 at
07:48:41
I have suggested previously on TW that Everton should consider making a moderate bid for Harrison Reid at Fulham; yes, he is 30 years old, and has lost his place in the first team this season, but he is a very effective defensive midfield player with PL experience at a good level.
I say this in the knowledge that many T webbers might scoff at his age, but we are shedding a large number of players at the end of the season, and we really ought to be pairing Gana with another experienced head like Reid, having Jimmy, Tim and young Armstrong available to come in when needed.
Finally, give Gana another year. He is so important to us, and he still has the legs. That performance at Brighton was absolutely top drawer, as demonstrated by the appreciation shown to him by fans and team mates alike straight after the game.
Si Pulford
12 Posted
29/01/2025 at
08:00:50
Huge loss. Another poster mentioned that you dont know how good a player is until theyre not there. Well we will see just how good this guy is in the next few weeks. Because from my seat he had become indispensable. This is a huge loss.
Jerome Shields
13 Posted
29/01/2025 at
08:30:10
Hopefully he will recover soon.Everton has other midfielders approaching fitness, but Managla will be a loss.The not able to pass Doucoure is not the answer.
Ian Wilkins
14 Posted
29/01/2025 at
08:45:55
Sad news for player and team.
He has been one of if not the stand out player in recent times. Does exactly what is required from centre midfield, were going to miss him.
Returning Garner/ Tim are not natural replacements to my mind, and with lengthy periods out will take a while to get up to speed.
Doucoure will have to drop back and hes having a poor time.
With limited funds, and limited player availability, what short term fixes can we muster in the key positions of centre midfield and forward line…,
For me this is not a fingers crossed, muddle through situation, we must find solutions.
This squad is now woefully under strength.
Over to you Thelwell/ Moyes.
Sam Hoare
15 Posted
29/01/2025 at
08:50:33
Iroegbunam and Garner, though with less minutes are around 72% with Young and Harrison. Doucoure may not be the most incisive but he gets some undeserved flack on here as one of the current whipping boys.
Dave Abrahams
16 Posted
29/01/2025 at
09:50:57
James (5), Its a good job Moyes and his coaching staff didnt understand the substitutes rule because they were trying to get him back on the pitch!
James Hughes
17 Posted
29/01/2025 at
10:04:11
Dave, what really ? I was only listening to the live feed and they didn’t mention that. Not for the first time that I am lost for words
Alan J Thompson
18 Posted
29/01/2025 at
10:12:08
James(#5&17); I don’t remember making the suggestion to send him back out on any live feed but I’ll accept your apology that I mentioned that, like the Everton medical staff on the day, would have asked him to go back out and stand on the halfway line. Try thinking for yourself rather than jumping on somebody else’s bandwagon.
Paul Hewitt
19 Posted
29/01/2025 at
10:18:47
Good luck in your recovery. And hopefully one day we will see you back in a blue shirt.🤞
John Keating
20 Posted
29/01/2025 at
10:30:55
Before we had subs anyone who had an injury which should have resulted in him being taken off was just put on the halfway line.
I seem to remember Derek Temple – or Jimmy Ring???? – around 1960ish getting a normal tackle around the neck and somehow getting their leg and arm done in.
After the trainer run on with a wet cloth for about 10 seconds to clean the blood, the player was just told to stand on the byline at the half way line for the remainder of the match.
Unless a player had at least a compound fracture of both legs then he wasn’t taken off.
Mind you those days even with a compound fracture, they still played the next Saturday!
Brian Harrison
21 Posted
29/01/2025 at
10:37:15
Reports last night suggested it was an ACL which is an awful injury and means he will be out for many months, a real shame because his partnership with Gana was getting better week by week.
Alan J Thompson
22 Posted
29/01/2025 at
10:44:02
John(#20); Tommy Ring? They were things of legend, players being sent back out as you were only substituted in the next game, i.e. dropped, due to injury. My first memory was Roy Dwight for Notts Forest in the 1957(?) Cup Final v.Luton staying on with, I think, a broken arm or shoulder injury. Nor do I remember anyone taking over from Bert Trautman with a broken neck. Different days.
Kim Vivian
23 Posted
29/01/2025 at
10:45:34
Much along the lines of what Si Pulford says – He is, without doubt, going to be a big miss bug I suspect this might be a player who gets better every week until the end of the season.
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