Everton have reached an agreement with Southampton to sign highly-rated midfielder Tyler Dibling in a deal worth £42m, Ireport247news understands.
According to transfer expert David Ornstein, agreement in principle includes £6m in easily achievable add-ons linked to appearances, while Southampton have also secured a 20 per cent sell-on clause should the 19-year-old move on in the future.
Dibling has already agreed personal terms with the Toffees and is expected to undergo a medical early next week before becoming David Moyes’ seventh signing of the summer transfer window.
The England youth international will follow Thierno Barry, Jack Grealish, Mark Travers, Tom King, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Adam Aznou through the doors at Hill Dickinson Stadium, while Carlos Alcaraz’s loan from Southampton has also been converted into a permanent deal.
Moyes: “We’ve had trouble spending our money”
The move comes as a relief to Moyes, who admitted during his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s clash with Brighton that Everton have struggled to convert their transfer funds into new arrivals after missing out on several key targets.
“We have money to spend and we are trying to spend it,” Moyes said. “It is not that we don’t have the money, we do, but we’re finding it very difficult to spend at the moment.”
“We’ve really gone for some top players but unfortunately we’ve not been able to get them. So we might be finding ourselves coming down the ladder to find players because we are short on numbers generally. We are going to have to adjust.”
Asked why the club have found it difficult to secure their primary targets, Moyes pointed to Everton’s absence from European competition.
“Absolutely Europe,” he added. “If you have European football you attract a different level of player, you are more attractive. I think our ownership have come in and helped us and they will give us a chance to spend more money, but I believe the better players want European football. Most of them, or a lot of them, do.”
Dibling’s rise
Dibling enjoyed a breakout season with Southampton in 2023/24, making 33 Premier League appearances and scoring twice.
The versatile midfielder was keen on a swift return to the top flight after the Saints’ relegation and Everton have now provided that opportunity.
Rated as one of the most promising English players in his age group, Dibling has represented England at U19 level and is regarded as a long-term investment by Moyes, who sees him as part of his rebuilding project at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The teenager is expected to provide competition in attacking midfield areas, with Everton continuing their efforts to reshape the squad before the transfer window closes.