Romelu Lukaku has not travelled to Everton’s training camp in Dubai.
The Blues flew out for the mid-season break on Monday but Lukaku was a notable absentee from a travelling party of first-team players and staff.
Ronald Koeman’s side will spend the next four days training in the warm weather before returning to Merseyside to prepare for next weekend’s visit of Sunderland.
Lukaku suffered a calf problem in the wake of Everton’s stalemate with Middlesbrough last Saturday which will require treatment in his homeland.
Goodison Park officials have confirmed that the injury is not considered serious enough to rule him out for the visit of the Black Cats on February 25.
The striker is due to return to his native Belgium this week to see a doctor and is one of two senior first-team players who missed the trip to the United Arab Emirates.
Long-term absentee Yannick Bolasie also remained on Merseyside as he continues to recover from a season-ending knee injury picked up in December.