Gosling, signed in January for £1.5million from Plymouth, has had his progress halted by a torn cartilage.

But the 18-year-old played for England Under-19s last week and is now considered ready to be added to David Moyes' senior squad if the Everton boss needs him.

And it is possible he could be in the squad for Sunday's crucial home clash with Aston Villa, the Midlanders now just three points behind fifth-placed Everton and with a superior goal difference.

Everton were without Tim Cahill, Leon Osman and Mikel Arteta from their first-choice midfield last Thursday for the home defeat by Chelsea.

Gosling's cartilage injury was sustained prior to Everton's clash with Fiorentina last month, and temporarily scuppered any chances of Gosling featuring for the senior squad.

And Moyes reckons that if he had been fit, the youngster would have been in with a chance of making his debut.

Moyes said: "If I had to put him in the side, I would. At the moment, we are quite short in numbers, so he could find himself very close to the squad.

"Another youngster, Jack Rodwell, has been involved already. He came on as a substitute at Sunderland and was on the bench against Chelsea. and Dan would have been, too, had he been fit."

"We have rested him for four weeks now and we are hoping that he will be okay, but if he had not been injured, he would have been close to being in the squad by now.

"He has got good potential. We brought him here in January and he seems to be settling in fine. It is just a shame that he has had that injury."