Everton have confirmed the signing of Tyler Dibling from Southampton in a deal reported to be worth an initial £35 million, rising to £40 million with performance-related add-ons.
Dibling, who signed a four-year contract, told evertontv: “I’m buzzing to sign. I felt the Club already, even before I was in the building, just from social media and from people telling me about the Club. I’ve never been so excited to play football and I’m just ready to get going.
“I think it’s the perfect match because of where the Club is right now. Obviously with the new stadium, the fans here are unreal and it has a family feel to it. I think it was the perfect fit and was a no-brainer to join.
“I think I’ve come to Everton at the perfect time and hopefully I can be here for many years.
“[The Brighton win] gave me a feel for the Club. It looked unbelievable. I also played in the last Men’s game at Goodison. It was so loud. I was looking around and thinking, ‘This is quality’. That was a really good insight for me into what it’s like here with the fans and the atmosphere they can create.
“There’s no better feeling than when you’re doing well in football and to feel that love from the fans is one of the best feelings ever. I’m excited to play here.”
The 19-year-old midfielder was one of the few bright sparks in Southampton’s relegation campaign last season, making 38 appearances across all competitions and contributing four goals and three assists.
Dibling becomes Everton’s eighth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Thierno Barry, Adam Aznou, Mark Travers, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jack Grealish and Tom King, while Carlos Alcaraz’s loan move was also made permanent.
