Tim Iroegbunam has become the first incoming signing of Everton’s close season following confirmation that a 3-year deal has been agreed after his £9m transfer from Aston Villa.
With the Blues still operating under strict austerity due to the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and the Club’s ongoing financial struggles as Farhad Moshiri continues his long-running quest to sell his majority stake, Director of Football, Kevin Thelwell, has focused on signing younger talent for relatively small fees.
With Villa having PSR concerns of their own, it made sense to cash in on one of their up-and-coming players and Iroegbunam (pronounced Iro-bew-nam with a silent “g”) was effectively one half of a player exchange that will see Lewis Dobbin go the other way for a similar fee.
Both clubs were able to book pure profits from players with almost no book value, thereby alleviating their deficits vis-a-vis the spending limits.
Iroegbunam began his career at West Bromwich Albion and was named on the substitutes’ bench in May 2021 for a Premier League fixture against Leeds but didn’t make it onto the pitch.
He was snapped up by Villa and signed for their Under-23 side that summer and would go on to make 19 senior appearances for the Birmingham club.
The bulk of his experience prior to joining Everton came in the Championship with Queens Park Rangers in 2023-24 where he played 32 games and scored twice.
A versatile member of a possession-based team, Iroegbunam demonstrated an ability to play as either a deep-lying No.6 or as a more attack-minded No 8, qualities that will, no doubt, have attracted him to Sean Dyche:
“We’re pleased to add Tim to our midfield options,” Dyche said.
“He is a young player who is still learning and developing but clearly has a lot of the qualities we want in that area of the pitch.”
Meanwhile, Thelwell said: “We are delighted to have been able to move quickly to bring Tim to Everton. He is a player we have been following closely and we believe he has the skills and characteristics to be a strong addition to our midfield.
“At 20 years old, he is a young and hungry player who has already gained some impressive experience and we look forward to helping him to continue to develop and fulfil his obvious potential.”
Suggestions continue that Lewis Dobbin is on the verge of making a move in the other direction, having reportedly completed his medical with the Birmingham club.
“It was a move that I didn’t want to pass by,” Iroegbunam said after putting pen to paper on his contract. “I wanted to take the opportunity.
“When I spoke to Kevin, he told me more about the Club – its history, the future and where they see me playing. It made me feel very excited because there are big things coming, especially with the new stadium.
“When I’ve been to Goodison as an opposition player, I’ve seen how the Everton fans are. You can tell straight away what the atmosphere is like – they are always backing the team. I’m going to work hard for them.
“I just can’t wait to get started. I’m going to give everything and I can’t wait to show what I can bring to this club.”