(Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media)

Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Fri 1 August 2025 12:00, UK

Tyler Dibling is seen as an ideal alternative to Jack Grealish as Everton ready a new offer after their opening bid was rejected, sources have told Football Insider.

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Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what his sources have said about Everton‘s efforts to address their issues out wide.

Everton sealed their fourth signing of the summer on 29 July in the form of Bayern Munich left-back Adam Aznou, but David Moyes has expressed frustration at their lack of progress in the market thus far.

Grealish has been linked with a switch to the Hill Dickinson Stadium throughout the summer as Everton and West Ham both weigh up moves to sign the Man City outcast, but the move isn’t a simple one.

The England winger’s huge wages have been a tumbling block for Everton so far, and Football Insider sources have said that the Toffees have identified Southampton’s Dibling as a similar alternative.

Sources have told Football Insider that Dibling‘s similar style of play “would tick a lot of boxes” for the Blues if he’s signed instead of Grealish, but Saints also won’t let their youngster leave without a fight.

Everton paid £7.8million to sign Adam Aznou from Bayern Munich (Credit: Imago)

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Football Insider revealed back in May that Champions League-bound Tottenham Hotspur were hesitant to pay Dibling’s £55million price tag at Southampton, who will be in no mood to lower their valuation.

Speaking on the new Inside Track, O’Rourke said such a fee would be an obstacle for Everton’s hopes of signing Dibling, but the 19-year-old is seen as a younger and potentially better alternative to Grealish.

“It’s an ambitious move from Everton if they do try and win the race for Dibling, [he’s] a very impressive young player”, he told Football Insider.

“Obviously, we know Everton [are] in the market for wingers – Dibling would tick a lot of boxes for Everton.

“He’s very similar to Jack Grealish in his style of play.

You could say he’s the next Grealish.

He likes to take on players with his dribbling, and he’s a player with huge potential.

“He’ll only get better and better with more experience in the Premier League, but the transfer fee would be an obstacle for any deal Everton try to do.

They have had an offer rejected by Southamptoon of £27million, but they will be returning with a new offer straight away.”

Photo Credit: Imago

Moyes has admitted that Everton are “running out of time” to develop a Premier League-ready squad in what remains of the summer transfer window, and their prolonged pursuit of Grealish hasn’t helped at all.

Former CEO Keith Wyness has told Football Insider that Everton must push the button on a “heavily subsidised” loan deal for Grealish, with the Blues unable to pay his £300,000 weekly wages on their own.

Dibling’s pay packet wouldn’t come close to such an eye-watering figure, but with Southampton unlikely to budge on their huge valuation, it’s unclear which of these two very expensive moves would be best for Everton in the short and medium-term.
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