Everton sign Southampton’s Dibling in £40m deal

Tyler Dibling has been signed by Everton from Southampton for an initial sum of £33.5 million plus £5 million in additions.

The 19-year-old midfielder has agreed to a four-year contract that runs until June 2029.

Dibling is David Moyes’ eighth summer transfer signing.

According to the England Under-21 international, “I think it’s the ideal match because of where the club is right now.”

“The fans here are unreal, and it has a family feel, which is obvious.” It was a no-brainer to join, in my opinion, and the fit was ideal.

Dibling, who has twice won the England Under-21 caps, made his Southampton debut in August 2023.

He eventually made 44 starts for the Saints, totaling four goals, mostly as a left-footed winger on the right flank or as an attacking midfielder.

Dibling, who has chosen to wear the number 20, claimed that Moyes’ decision to play for the Merseyside club had a major impact on his decision to move there.

He continued, “I think the manager is perfect for me.”

He obviously has assisted a lot of players before who were in my position. I’ve spoken with him, and I’m confident in my choices.

My goal for the season is to score as many goals and assists as possible and contribute to the team as much as I can. We can hope to have a successful season as a team and see what happens.

According to Moyes, Dibling has “a lot of potential” and is a “talented young English player.”

Tyler expands our range of attacking options, he continued, adding that we will support him as we progress.

Matt Hobbs of BBC Sport

Are Everton and Dibling a perfect match?

He was hailed as a generational talent and linked with a £100 million move to the top six clubs because of how much he made for Southampton during the first half of his first Premier League campaign.

After seven months, the 19-year-old has been the target of numerous unsuccessful bids before Everton finally signed him for significantly less.

So, when a young player with a high ceiling arrives, are the Toffees getting a bargain, or did Dibling overestimate things in the first half of a campaign that only yielded two Premier League goals and no assists?

First of all, the teenager’s contract has only two more years left, which means the astronomical price tag that was mentioned in January has decreased.

Dibling, who made his Premier League debut under Russell Martin’s former team in August of last year, also experienced a decline in performance in the second half of 2024-25.

This is partially due to Martin’s dismissal in December and the subsequent transition to an uber-defensive approach under Ivan Juric and Simon Rusk, both of whom are known for having unnaturalized instincts for playing.