André Gomes thanks Everton supporters for messages after injury | Football

André Gomes has thanked Everton supporters for their good wishes after he surmounted the first, and most important, hurdle on the long road to recovery. The 26-year-old Portugal midfielder sustained a fracture-dislocation of his right ankle during the club’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham on Sunday but the surgery he underwent on Monday has been declared a success and the long‑term prognosis seems cautiously optimistic.

On Wednesday, Everton’s manager, Marco Silva, reported everything had gone well while Gomes was able to provide his first public comments via social media. “I’m already at home with my family and I would like to thank you all for the support, the messages and the positive energy,” he said. “Thank you.”

Gomes is expected to be out of action for up to a year in the wake of an incident that left players from both sides visibly upset but although some tough days will inevitably lie ahead there is genuine confidence he will return to the first team.

“He is doing well,” said Silva. “The surgery went really well and all the feedback we’ve had was really good. André is home now with all the support of our medical staff but he was with us here yesterday at Finch Farm.

“It was really good for everyone to see him, to have that first contact with him after that tough moment for all of us. Now is a moment for us to support him, to give all of our best to have André back as soon as possible.

“We have to be patient, we have to go step by step but for sure the support everyone will give him and good work we should do as a club with our medical staff, rehab people as well, will create the conditions for André to be successful.”

Silva has few doubts about Gomes’s capacity to confront the challenges of the next few months. “I know how André is as a professional. I am 100% sure he will work really hard to become stronger. I don’t have doubts about that.

“Unfortunately for André it was a really tough moment and now will come the rehab. André has had some injuries in the past, not so tough and serious, but he won that challenge. And it will be the same again, I don’t have doubts. He will become stronger as a football player but more as a man.”

Silva said that Gomes had received get-well messages from far and wide. “They show the big respect everyone has for André. Not just as a football player, everyone recognises how he’s a very good player, at the top, top level. He’s a really, really good professional. Everyone loves him in our club and everyone around the world was really supportive of him.”