David Moyes has told Tyler Dibling that learning from Jack Grealish should be part of his Everton education as he backed the young winger to impress with time.
The 19-year-old was Everton’s most expensive summer signing for an initial £35m from Southampton but has had a difficult start, including being withdrawn after 45 minutes of his full Premier League debut for the club against Crystal Palace. Dibling could get another opportunity at Manchester City on Saturday with the on-loan Grealish ineligible to face his parent club. But, even if the winger misses out, Moyes insists he has been impressed by the new arrival and studying Grealish at close quarters will only accelerate Dibling’s development.
The Everton manager said: “I’m hoping that Tyler picks up on what he’s seen from Jack, but it’s never easy. When you sign players it’s not easy for it all to fall into place right away, especially in a world where everything is expected so quick.
“I’ve already said to him: ‘You should be watching Jack and seeing what he does.’ But Tyler’s a really good footballer. I’ve been really impressed by his football since he’s been here. He just needs to take a bit of time. He was a bit unlucky to get taken off [against Palace] but we had to try and do something to alter the course of the game.”
Dibling has also been given clips to study of the former Bayern Munich duo, Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben. But Moyes believes Grealish, who has created the most chances from open play in the Premier League this season, has aspects to his game that Dibling can replicate such as “his ability to caress the ball, take the team up the pitch and be creative.”
Moyes added: “I want Tyler to score goals as well. You need your wide players to score goals and we could name one or two not far from here who do that. We need to try and get that as well. I am getting Tyler in that frame of mind if I can. But I want him to look at Jack, how he plays, how composed he is on the ball. I have to say that Tyler has really impressed me with his close skills and ability. He is a quiet boy and it is going to take a bit of time for him to come out of his shell.
“We have talked about a lot of other players with him too. Robben and Ribéry and how they played and how they dribbled and took players on. We are always looking at the players who could be role models for the boys and someone they could look at.”
