The latest transfer news as Everton eye a West Brom attacker.
West Bromwich Albion may have to brace themselves for an offer for wonderkid winger Tom Fellows after Everton reportedly saw a bid rejected for Southampton winger Tyler Dibling.
Everton, without a right forward after Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom’s departures, have been linked with both Fellows and Dibling so far this summer. The Toffees have been particularly active in their pursuit of Dibling, but signing the Saints academy product is proving tricky and they could soon move on.
The Liverpool Echo reports Everton have been unable to meet Southampton’s valuation of Dibling after seeing a bid of £37.5 million rejected. With speculation rife, the winger was left out of the Saints’ Championship opener against Wrexham but he was back in the matchday squad for the 1-1 draw away at Ipswich Town, utilised as an impact substitute.
Everton could launch bid for £20m-rated West Brom star
If Everton are unable to tempt Southampton into selling Dibling, West Brom’s Fellows could be a great alternative. The 22-year-old may not have the Premier League experience Dibling possesses but he’s a similar profile of player and was among the Championship’s most creative assets last season.
After an initial breakthrough in 2023/24 as an infrequent starter, Fellows came into his own last season as a regular in Albion’s XI. The winger scored four goals and notched 14 assists in 45 Championship appearances. No other winger in the English second tier managed more assists than Fellows, while his 1.93 chances created and 1.25 successful crosses per 90 minutes ranked him in the division’s elite 15 per cent.
Reports around Albion’s asking price for Fellows have varied, with a tag as high as £20 million touted. In our view here at Birmingham World, West Brom should absolutely be charging £20 million for Fellows. Not only has the England Under-21 international proven himself as one of the Championship’s most exciting wingers, but his creative output is of utmost importance to Albion.
When discussing transfer fees, it’s not just the player’s value that needs to be taken into account but also how important the individual is to the selling club. If West Brom were to lose Fellows, their chances of breaking into the Championship top six would be stunted. The Baggies also don’t need to sell now after Torbjorn Heggem’s exit raked in £10 million.
Fellows worth Everton’s investment
Everton would need to pay the big bucks to land Fellows, then, but he could be well worth it. If the Toffees were to spend £20 million on the West Brom man, they’d be saving £17.5 million on the offer they previously submitted for Dibling. Although most would argue Dibling is the better player, there’s not a huge gulf in quality between the pair.
Just like Dibling, Fellows also has so much room to improve. As he’s already statistically among the best wingers in the Championship, it wouldn’t be outlandish to suggest Fellows could be of genuine Premier League quality very soon. And that’s if he’s not already.
It may not be long until Everton follow such a school of thought as the Liverpool Echo suggests the Toffees are now ‘actively looking at alternatives to Dibling’. As Fellows has been heavily linked since the turn of the year, it could well be the West Brom winger they bid for next.
Continue Reading