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."
Reader Comments (55)
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2 Posted 22/06/2024 at 12:23:08
Definitely an area we have to strengthen. Main worry is fitting that name into a song.
3 Posted 22/06/2024 at 12:26:28
Also theres rumours saying the Skunks are closing on Calvert-Lewin.
Looks like a busy week ahead to aboid any potential PSR scrutiny.
4 Posted 22/06/2024 at 12:38:50
Virtually all of the £10 million we spend goes on next year's PSR, when hopefully the rules are different.
5 Posted 22/06/2024 at 12:44:53
3-year deal, so does that mean it is amortized over three years? In other words, approx £3M per year?
6 Posted 22/06/2024 at 13:00:46
Everton then pay Villa over say 5 years, which will only account for £2 million outlay per season.
7 Posted 22/06/2024 at 13:01:18
8 Posted 22/06/2024 at 13:04:55
9 Posted 22/06/2024 at 13:07:39
10 Posted 22/06/2024 at 13:09:33
If it helps in any way, shape or form to keep our young central defender this summer, it will be a masterstroke.
'Masterstroke' is not a word often used in connection with our club.
11 Posted 22/06/2024 at 13:38:05
Unless different terms have been agreed with Villa, the cost will be amortised in line with his contract length - so if the reported figure of £9m is correct the cost will be recorded as £3m per year for each of the next 3 years.
12 Posted 22/06/2024 at 13:40:56
I know nothing about iroegbenum. Sorry for spelling. What qualities will he bring to the team?
13 Posted 22/06/2024 at 13:42:45
14 Posted 22/06/2024 at 13:51:17
15 Posted 22/06/2024 at 14:01:25
Concerned by the DCL rumours but if he wants to go and there is only 1yr left on his contract so be it. If so I hope the Illman Ndiaye rumours are true, Beto can be used to disrupt and Illman is a much finer ball player than both Beto and DCL, pace and vision too but not a target man.
Ndiaye can also be best utilised as a no 10, gives us options if the Duke is not firing again at any point.
16 Posted 22/06/2024 at 14:12:24
Villa well and truly navigating psr successfully.
17 Posted 22/06/2024 at 14:23:26
If Dom wishes to leave, now is the time. Sheikh ‘em down for some serious cash and we are out of hell in a flash. Olise is gone to Bayern so Palace should slip although it is too early for watching the trapdoor at the bottom.
18 Posted 22/06/2024 at 14:44:14
19 Posted 22/06/2024 at 14:49:58
20 Posted 22/06/2024 at 15:00:51
21 Posted 22/06/2024 at 15:14:18
Good Luck to DCL on his possible move.
22 Posted 22/06/2024 at 15:47:10
23 Posted 22/06/2024 at 16:25:47
This has the signs of us having a plan for this transfer window.
Get in early for our targets before we do the deals to sell, when clubs will assume we have Onana and or Branthwaite cash and bump up prices.
A couple more like this will do nicely, winger,left back, creative cm and a centre half are a must before we even think about replacing Onana, DCL & Branthwaite.
It shows deals can be done and the takeover isn't affecting the work needed to be done by the dof and manger hopefully .
Positive signs !
24 Posted 22/06/2024 at 18:12:36
Let's see what he can do for us then judge him.
You never know how a player will turn out.
Tim Cahill, who many where sceptical about.
And the Liverpool reserve player, whose name I won't mention as you know who who I'm talking about.
Give the lad a chance. He's now an Everton player.
25 Posted 22/06/2024 at 18:58:49
26 Posted 22/06/2024 at 19:16:28
"Let's see what he can do for us then judge him.
Give the lad a chance. He's now an Everton player".
But no one on here has judged him and no one has not given him a chance so far.
27 Posted 22/06/2024 at 19:28:56
28 Posted 22/06/2024 at 19:49:33
Sorry Paul couldn't resist the invitation.
29 Posted 22/06/2024 at 19:55:26
30 Posted 22/06/2024 at 19:58:52
Meanwhile Man City, Man U, Liverpool and Chelsea spend what they want to, when they want to, without sanction or punishment, threaten the organisers with a Euro super league, without sanction or punishment, and continue to circumnavigate the rules by selling land and hotels to themselves, and build stands,whilst the rest of the Premier league have to pat themselves on the back cos they think they've got one over on the league by swapping two young kids who probably didn't want to move anywhere anyway.
31 Posted 22/06/2024 at 20:27:15
These two lads have the opportunity to be amongst something like the top one percent earners in the country if they are able to keep at Premier League level for their careers. From their mid thirties they will have massive choices on how to live out the rest of their lives in comfort.
Plenty of people have really had to become economic migrants just to get a basic standard of living. Plenty of youngsters move to new places and make new friends just as a part of growing up / becoming independent.
32 Posted 22/06/2024 at 20:58:24
I'd like to know where these two lads preferred choices were for starting next season? considering there clubs buying and selling strategy are due to EPL “rules “.
33 Posted 22/06/2024 at 21:37:20
If he's any good, why on earth would Villa sell him?
34 Posted 22/06/2024 at 23:20:10
The Dibbin to Villa links make this sounds like just a PSR scheme, but if it is, which I'm not convinced I think we're getting the better deal.
Dobbin is not going to be a winger for a top ten premiership club, it just won't happen. This kid has decent England recognition and was pushing for a place in MF of a Champions League qualifying club.
He's not a change the world signing, but is someone who could be very good in a couple of years. Exactly the kind of singing we should be making - Brighton-esque.
This is the right route, he may or may not be a success, but if he's the first of many of this type of gamble I think we'll be ok and on a much stronger footing. In Threadwell I trust.
35 Posted 22/06/2024 at 23:53:48
36 Posted 23/06/2024 at 00:24:36
Now Everton and Villa are both doing clever / creative business to balance their books you are crying foul about it. That's fine if you've always been in the ‘sports clubs need specific regulation that allows them to exist outside of the usual financial considerations' camp.
Having to make life choices due to businesses needing to make business decisions is something plenty of us have had to deal with, including top level sports people in most sports.
Just not sure why you are so vexed about the young players. They are not being sold due to any ‘rules', just simple economics.
37 Posted 23/06/2024 at 01:02:47
We need a midfielder who can carry the ball, and who is athletic and quick. Iroegbunam can probably fulfil the same role that Onana was expected to play, but hopefully with greater dynamism and higher intensity. If Onana is leaving, which he surely is, then Iroegbunam is a good replacement at a fraction of the cost. A 3-year deal feels at least a year on the short side, but I guess that's a future bridge to be crossed.
I don't think Dobbin was ever likely to progress under Dyche. While he has certain weapons - mainly pace and directness - but he is 21 and still very raw and his ball retention/protection levels are (in my estimation) not good enough.
As a side-note, the PSR rules need to be reviewed - and soon. Right now clubs are looking to offload their home-grown academy graduates - and if this continues then the reality of any club retaining their homegrown talent is going to become more and more of a rarity.
38 Posted 23/06/2024 at 05:41:14
39 Posted 23/06/2024 at 05:53:28
40 Posted 23/06/2024 at 07:30:18
41 Posted 23/06/2024 at 07:31:20
Neil, hopefully see you outside the Harlech before the match.
I can't wait to have Everton back.
42 Posted 23/06/2024 at 07:34:10
What are we complaining about? It seems that some are arguing for an owner to have the right to run us into the ground.
43 Posted 23/06/2024 at 07:46:55
There is also a school of thought that FFP etc, was brought in not to 'save' the bottom 14 (from themselves) but to 'protect' the top 6 (from others)
44 Posted 23/06/2024 at 08:16:20
As for the Top Six, PSR is skewed to protect those that are better run and to try to curtail those that would try to get more powerful than the Premier League, thus guarding its survival.
Of course the Rules change. Compensation has been quietly dropped.
46 Posted 23/06/2024 at 09:11:42
As for us just being financially shackled rather than run into the ground... I don't think we got too far from the latter. But in any case I'd like some safeguards in place to ensure it doesn't happen. It's already happened to football clubs.
47 Posted 23/06/2024 at 09:23:17
If he's any good, why on earth would Villa sell him?
Anthony have you not read other posts regarding PSR, and using your logic clubs never sell good players and that's just not true is it?
48 Posted 23/06/2024 at 09:25:30
49 Posted 23/06/2024 at 09:38:42
50 Posted 24/06/2024 at 04:40:56
51 Posted 24/06/2024 at 18:51:30
Have Villa signed Dobbin over the same contract length so at least we can offset one with the other?
52 Posted 24/06/2024 at 22:25:22
53 Posted 24/06/2024 at 22:28:46
54 Posted 24/06/2024 at 22:31:25
55 Posted 24/06/2024 at 22:35:55
56 Posted 25/06/2024 at 20:34:55
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1 Posted 22/06/2024 at 12:15:48
A good start, I hope he's ready for first team.