Everton’s start to their 2024/25 pre-season tour of the United States has already underlined the work David Moyes still has ahead.
A humbling 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth was a reminder of the squad’s fragility after another summer of major outgoings.
The arrivals of Mark Travers, Carlos Alcaraz, and £27m signing Thierno Barry signal a clear intent to refresh the squad, but Moyes has openly warned that patience will be needed – especially with Barry, who remains raw and unproven at Premier League level.
Adam Aznou is expected to become the fourth new face at Goodison Park after Everton reached an agreement with Bayern Munich, but the club remain active in their search for further attacking reinforcements.
Talks continue with Lyon over Malick Fofana, though interest in the Belgian winger is intense.
Meanwhile, alternative targets are being explored with a view to shaping a younger, more dynamic squad that fits Moyes’ evolving vision.
One name stands out, not just for his talent, but for the buzz surrounding his rise to prominence.
And he’s already being likened to a former Everton prodigy who once lit up Goodison Park.
The young starlet catching Everton's eye
Tyler Dibling is the 19-year-old forward drawing comparisons to a young Ross Barkley.
With 33 Premier League appearances for Southampton under his belt last season, scoring twice and assisting once, Dibling is already attracting significant attention.
According to reports, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Bayern Munich have all monitored his progress, but it’s Everton who are now showing the strongest intent to bring him to Merseyside.
Dibling is under contract with Southampton until 2027, but with Saints braced for a new wave of offers, his future remains uncertain.
Transfer Focus
According to sources close to the club, via Liverpool Echo, Everton’s interest is genuine and growing.
The Toffees see him as an ideal long-term project, especially with multiple senior players, such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Ashley Young, all departing this summer after their contracts expired.
The teenage winger made his England U21 debut this year against Spain, underlining his rapid development.
But this is no overnight success. As a 16-year-old, Dibling famously scored a hat-trick against Newcastle U21s.
It was a moment that drew national attention and confirmed him as one of the country’s brightest attacking prospects.
Adam Asghar, Southampton’s former U21 coach, said: “He’s the most fearless player I’ve ever worked with, He’s totally unique to anything I’ve seen before.”
“He’s got raw physicality, pace and power, and is an unbelievable ball-carrier. He’s always impacting games. In a generation of football where it’s very much about limited touches and moving the ball quickly, Tyler can move it quickly by carrying the ball rather than passing it. That’s what makes him such a special talent.”
From Barkley to Dibling – the art of fearless ball-carrying
For Everton fans, talk of raw power, direct dribbling and unshakable confidence will bring back memories of a young Barkley.
At just 18, Barkley had already made his Premier League debut and was establishing himself as a central figure at Goodison Park.
By 19, he had become a regular in the England U21 side, and by 21 he had earned a senior call-up, and featured in the 2014 World Cup squad.
There was a sense of destiny about Barkley’s rise, fuelled by ability to glide past opponents, and knack for spectacular goals.
Dibling, like Barkley, is explosively built and thrives when carrying the ball through midfield and into the final third.
According to last season’s stats, he ranked in the 87th percentile for take-ons attempted (5.28 per 90 minutes), and in the 81st percentile for successful take-ons (2.16).
He’s a player who beats his marker, and forces defenders onto the back foot, exactly the kind of spark Everton have missed in recent years.
Despite his youth, Dibling’s defensive contributions also impress.
The same data reveals he sits in the 88th percentile for tackles in the midfield third (0.86 per 90), and remarkably in the 98th percentile for the percentage of dribblers tackled (61.5%).
These numbers reflect both his work ethic and his intelligence out of possession – qualities Barkley also demonstrated in his early Everton days before adopting a more attacking role.
What further sets Dibling apart is his ability to draw fouls.
He ranked in the 92nd percentile for fouls won (2.49 per 90), and 98th for penalties won (0.10) – figures that suggest a player constantly testing defenders and breaking defensive lines with his movement and balance.
While comparisons with Barkley are flattering, Dibling is carving out a unique identity. His game is grounded in progression through movement, pressing from the front, and efficient chance creation.
He’s also statistically aligned with players like Omari Hutchinson (Ipswich), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) and Stephy Mavididi (Leicester), all wide forwards with an eye for space, unpredictability, and technical strength in one-on-one situations.
In a squad currently lacking consistent creative output, and with much of the burden previously falling on Jack Harrison and Dwight McNeil, Dibling’s arrival would provide Moyes with a powerful new outlet.
The fact that he is English, grounded in Premier League football, and still years from his peak only strengthens his appeal.
Everton have made bold calls in the transfer market this summer. But if they can bring Dibling – valued at around £55m – to Goodison, it might just be the most exciting of them all.
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