It’s looking like Everton were right to walk away from the negotiating table with Southampton when they did. With the Saints insisting on holding out for £45 million along with add-ons and a hefty sell-on percentage, the Toffees moved on to other targets. Since then though, the Blues were yet to make any official moves for any other players, and there was always an assumption that the Championship side would end up agreeing to something close to what Everton had offered in their third bid for the player of about
£35m with a further £8m in add-ons.
Multiple reliable media sources are now reporting that the two sides are very close to an agreement with personal terms already agreed with the forward back in July. The two sides appear to have aligned on an upfront fee of about £36m with a further £6m in easily achievable add-ons, and a 20% sell-on clause also inserted into the agreement. The medical should proceed early next week with the player then unveiled soon after.
Dibling had been reintroduced to the squad last weekend and has been training as well, which didn’t bode well for a move for the young forward. However, Everton insider The Bobble recently indicated that discussions were going to resume, with Saints manager Will Stills saying that he still expected players to leave.
Everton struggled mightily away at Leeds United in the first game of the season, unable to hold on to the ball or create much going forward, both areas that Dibling should be able to contribute towards. Once confirmed, this will make the 19-year-old Everton’s eighth signing of the summer, including two back-up goalkeepers.
