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Where will Dibling play for Everton?

Matthew Hobbs

BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Tyler Dibling has joined Everton from Southampton for a fee which could rise to £40m

Everton confirmed the signing of Southampton teenager Tyler Dibling on Monday night. While the fee of an initial £35m is significantly less than the south coast club demanded earlier in the window, it still makes Dibling Everton’s third-most expensive signing – so where will he play?

Seventy six percent of the England Under-21 international’s 1,874 Premier League minutes have come at right wing, which was a position Everton had been desperate to fill – until Iliman Ndiaye’s impressive performance out of position in the 2-0 triumph against Brighton on Sunday during which he dovetailed so effectively with Jack Grealish.

While David Moyes has expressed his pleasure at signing Dibling for a reduced fee, his arrival could give the Everton manager a headache in the short term until he decides on his preferred starting XI, with Dibling, Ndiaye, Grealish, Carlos Alcaraz and Dwight McNeil all capable of playing out wide.

Dibling did spend 13% of his top-flight playing time at Southampton operating as a false nine but given Moyes’ preference for a target-man to build counter-attacks, it seems unlikely that Dibling will play in such an advanced role for the Toffees.

Image source, Opta Image caption, Tyler Dibling has played most of his Premier League football on the right wing

Number 10 has also been mooted as a possible position but Dibling has barely played in a central attacking midfield role at the highest level.

The quandary is far from an unpleasant one for Everton supporters, who can look forward to watching an attack which now boasts multiple players comfortable running with the ball.

Dibling ranked in the top 10 of all Premier League players last season for dribbles completed per 90 minutes, and in the top six for ending a carry by taking on an opposing player.

Wherever the new arrival plays, Everton should become more entertaining as a result - according to Moyes.

“We are eager to build a team that Evertonians can enjoy watching and be proud of, and Tyler can help us achieve that,” he added.

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