Everton are expected to strengthen their squad in January, but arranging a loan move for a fringe player could prove just as important for the club’s long-term plans.
The winter window is not only about plugging gaps in the first team. It also offers an opportunity to secure regular minutes for players who have struggled to feature under David Moyes, while potentially increasing the value of others. Moyes is working with one of the smallest squads in the modern game, numbering just 24 players — four of whom are goalkeepers.
When fully fit, the group is of good quality and one Moyes has shown he can get consistent performances from. However, maintaining full fitness across a congested winter schedule is a challenge no manager truly overcomes, and injuries have again been a recurring issue in recent months.
Keeping players on the fringes “just in case” rarely benefits anyone, and one individual in particular could gain enormously from a loan move along a pathway that has been followed successfully by several players who have represented both Everton and Rangers. Duncan Ferguson’s move to Ibrox once broke the British transfer record before he went on to become a Goodison Park icon, while Richard Gough returned to England’s top flight with Everton late in his career. Figures such as Gary Stevens, Trevor Steven, Andy Gray and Stuart McCall remain revered by supporters of both clubs.
While Rangers may no longer be able to compete financially with Premier League sides, they still offer an intense development environment where winning is the minimum requirement. As Tottenham youngster Mikey Moore has shown, coping with the pressure of performing at Ibrox can provide invaluable mental and professional growth.
the case for loaning Tyler Dibling to Rangers
Tyler Dibling has barely featured since completing his £35m move from Southampton, and Everton’s recruitment department may be wise to explore a loan option. A call to Rangers technical director Dan Purdy, formerly Everton’s head scout, could open the door to a temporary switch for the teenage winger.
Rangers boss Danny Röhl is seeking greater attacking creativity, while also managing a costly squad assembled during the troubled tenure of Kevin Thelwell and Russell Martin. The demands at Ibrox are unforgiving, something Gough once summed up by saying players are judged on their last pass in front of 50,000 supporters.
That level of scrutiny is exactly the kind of challenge Dibling needs. At a crucial stage in his development, regular football in a high-pressure environment could accelerate his progress. As Jarrad Branthwaite’s career path has shown, stepping down a division to play consistently for a major club can be a defining learning experience for a talented player struggling to break into Everton’s starting XI.
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