(Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
When Tim Iroegbunam arrived at Everton from Aston Villa in June 2024, it was a transfer wrapped in scepticism.
Just days before the end of the Premier League’s financial year, and with Lewis Dobbin heading in the opposite direction for an equivalent £9m fee, Iroegbunam’s arrival was labelled as little more than a PSR loophole.
At the time, that was perhaps justified. But two seasons on, Everton look to have got the better of that deal. While Dobbin has been sent on consecutive Championship loan spells, Iroegbunam has slowly started to establish himself as a genuine Premier League option.
It hasn’t been without bumps in the road. A horror show against Newcastle in November saw the 22-year-old hooked at half-time, but mistakes are to be expected from a player with only 2302 minutes of Premier League football to his name. That’s the equivalent of 25 games.
Progress has been evident, and the question now is, what is his ceiling?
Everton have question marks over their midfield this summer. Repeatedly in recent seasons, the Blues have ranked among the lowest-possession teams in the Premier League, while it does not need data to demonstrate the dearth of creativity in the Everton engine room.
Iroegbunam solves neither of those issues, but with Idrissa Gana Gueye’s future unclear, is the time now for Tim to step into that role?
Gueye, at his best, was an elite ball-winner. In five of his first six seasons, either side of a stint at Paris Saint-Germain, he ranked among the Premier League’s top three performers for tackles won. The Senegalese was the engine of the Everton side, snapping into challenges and distributing the ball efficiently.
Iroegbunam's ball-winning numbers are elite
Iroegbunam, certainly, has those former traits.
Athletic enough to handle the heat of the modern Premier League, the midfielder’s ball-winning ability has impressed. No U-23 midfielder across Europe’s top five leagues last season bettered his numbers for possessions won, defensive duels won, sliding tackles, or shots blocked per 90. He ranked second in that age bracket for percentage of duels won, and fifth for percentage of aerial duels won.
Even amid the expected inflation of defensive numbers due to Everton’s low ball retention, Iroegbunam’s strengths are clear.
The sticking point is the other side of his game, and there’s an argument that the traditional ball-winner is becoming a dying breed.
Eric Cantona once labelled France teammate Didier Deschamps the ‘water-carrier’, an affectionate if slightly insulting nod to an unglamorous role that revolved around regaining possession for more gifted teammates.
Modern football has seen a shift towards more technical number sixes. The world’s finest side, Paris Saint-Germain, utilise Vitinha as their deepest-lying midfielder, while Elliot Anderson has become the most in-demand midfielder of the summer for combining duel-winning with press resistance and forward-thinking passing. Elsewhere, Manuel Ugarte has struggled badly at Manchester United, despite being a data dream when it comes to ball-winning.
Could Hayden Hackney offer the ideal Iroegbunam complement for Everton?
Iroegbunam’s in-possession statistics do not make for positive reading. Again judged against U-23 midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues, he’s 74th for progressive carries, 106th for passes into the final third, and 116th for progressive passes completed and key passes. He’s also yet to score a top-flight goal.
Everton’s interest in Hayden Hackney perhaps comes as a counter to Iroegbunam’s weaknesses. Rarely have two players looked more compatible on a data graph, with the duo’s strengths being entirely opposite. With James Garner and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall offering more rounded skillsets, is that the midfield make-up that Moyes is seeking?
Iroegbunam is not the only player in the Everton squad with question marks over him this summer, but this feels like a pivotal moment for a player who turns 23 in June. An opportunity looks likely to open up, and the onus is on him to take it.
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Posted 14/06/2026 at 16:36:45
I don't dislike Tim... but, in all the matches I have seen him in, he doesn't appear to be a 90-minute player (not alone there). Therefore, if we got a chance to offload at a decent price, I would be tempted to cash in and start afresh.
Mind you, with negative-minded Moyes at the helm, I don't hold out a lot of hope for the new season, regardless of who we sign!
Posted 14/06/2026 at 17:03:48
Dormund and Stuttgart think so, apparently...
Posted 14/06/2026 at 17:11:04
I remember when Rafa wanted to pair Gareth Barry with Steven Gerrard, thereby ousting Alonso, and they all went nuts. He was right though, they would have perfectly complemented each other.
We've clearly got a player on our hands here, just by the fact we're getting these headlines. As to whether he can improve the other sides of his game, who knows? Look at Dana, he got to 27 with nobody thinking he was special, had a couple of good seasons with us, and suddenly PSG were sniffing around.
on a separate point it seems city are interested in Jarrad. This is very good news, they are big enough to take a risk on his injuries, and give us a good fee. We just can't take that risk with him if we get a good offer we have to take it.
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