When a £100m price tag was attached to Tyler Dibling as speculation raged about his future at Southampton, the youngster admitted it became a running joke among his team-mates.

It was an indication, however, of just how highly rated the lavishly gifted Dibling had become in a Southampton side that was doomed to relegation long before the end of last season.

When Dibling did eventually move, following links to Tottenham Hotspur and RB Leipzig among others, it was to Everton in a £40m deal that made him one of the most expensive signings in the club's history.

Dibling was hailed as a generational talent who would become a central component in Everton's new era at their magnificent Hill Dickinson Stadium under manager David Moyes in his second spell at the club.

Former Southampton manager Russell Martin shared that view as he said: "When I was there I had to play it down a lot and not make things more difficult for him, but he is the most talented player I've ever worked with."

Instead, the 20-year-old has had a transitional season spent largely in the wilderness at Everton, starting only four Premier League games and six in total, Dibling's action totalling 513 minutes.

Dibling was overlooked when Jack Grealish, whose own socks down, dribbling style drew comparisons between the pair, suffered a season-ending foot injury. And Dwight McNeil, who Everton were prepared to sell to Crystal Palace until a late hitch scuppered the deal, has since been chosen ahead of him.

So what has led to the curious disappearance of Dibling and what does the future hold?

At Everton and beyond, Dibling's future is still regarded as bright, not just at club level but also potentially at England level.

Football Association sources reveal how highly Dibling is regarded by England Under-21 coach Lee Carsley, who has made him a regular as they aim to retain the European Championship title they won in 2023. He is considered a key part of Carsley's plans, with both his talent and attitude greatly admired inside the set-up.

In 2025-26, he has started three England Under-21 games and been involved in six, playing a total of 261 minutes.

Dibling is an introverted character, and while Everton might have wanted more from his first campaign, there are no questions about his future.

It was always felt it might take time for a youngster moving away from his home in Southampton to settle in the north.

Moyes is certainly not panicking, although he now insists he wants Dibling to improve. He will not be in the starting line-up for Monday night's home game against Manchester City.

"He'll have to do better, I think," said Moyes. "He'll have to do better in his work and in his training. We brought in Tyrique George on loan from Chelsea, who is of a similar age and as competition as well to make sure we were covered.

"I think Tyrique has done well in the moments he's had in games and shown some bits that we like, so we want Tyler to step up, we really do. He's important to us. He's a player who we put a lot of faith and money into to bring him here so we are looking for a lot more."

This summer's pre-season is regarded as crucial to his development, the point at which he will have to prove he is ready to fight for regular football.

Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman, who played under Moyes during his first spell in charge at the club, understands the youngster's situation and has sympathy.

Osman told BBC Sport: "This year has been an education. I would expect him to come back at the start of next pre-season looking like he's ready to challenge for a first-team place.

"Now he's had a whole year to understand what's expected of him, but also let's not forget that within all this, Tyler is a young lad who is known to be quite a homely person.

"He has moved the length of the country to live in a completely different environment, where he doesn't know anybody, so that in itself is a big step for any young man.

"And he's doing that with the weight of expectation that comes with huge price tag, with people expecting him in to deliver every single time in a completely different culture of football club. There has to be a level of understanding.

"Everton is a different environment to a lot of other football clubs, so it's not always easy to hit the ground running, but his talent shows that if he knuckles down and works as hard as he can, it will work for him."

Osman believes Dibling's time in the shadows at Everton is an example of how Moyes nurtures young players, preferring to shape them to what he requires rather than adopting an instant "sink or swim" approach.

He said: "There is no doubt as we saw from his time at Southampton, that Dibling is a huge talent, very naturally gifted, dribbles brilliantly with the football. He was a free spirit.

"When you move to the next level, you have to learn more things. And that doubles when you play for a David Moyes team, with his expectations of what you have to do off the ball.

"This was probably one of the reasons why I took a bit of time to prove to David Moyes I could do that, but also one of the reasons I stayed in the team because in a David Moyes side what you do off the ball can be often be more important than what you do on the ball.

"David is well aware that there is no 'one size fits all' way of going about it. He knows talent. He understands characters. I think his character knowledge has certainly risen since his time away from Everton because he's kept up to date with the modern player.

"He's kept himself young by keeping that next generation around him, so he does understand this generation. I think he makes sure that everybody gets what they need.

"You have to prove that you can work for the team and you can work off the ball. Yes, you might make mistakes going forward, he will understand that goes with the territory, but you have to make sure you do the job defensively going back because there has to be a balance within the team."

Dibling's signing was part of a strategy employed by Everton's American owners The Friedkin Group, which not only brought in ready-made Premier League players such as Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, but younger players such as Dibling, Merlin Rohl and Adam Anzou, who could develop and have potential sell-on value.

And while next season is likely to prove the acid test for Dibling, there is no suggestion faith has been lost, with the belief at Everton that he is settling, recently being interviewed for a short TikTok post saying how much he is enjoying life in the north.

Dibling also knows loan signing George from England Under-21 duty and a short spell at Chelsea – although he is also increasing competition for places in the wide areas.

Osman said: "There is always an expectation when someone joins a football club that they are going to go straight into the team.

"In the modern market, if he had signed for £9m or £10m, everyone would understand that he wasn't ready and it's a project.

"When a club like Everton pay £40m for someone, they expect that £40m signing to be in the first team straight away, but that same modern market means you have to pay a lot of money as premium for these young kids with Dibling's talent.

"I would be absolutely amazed if Dibling wasn't at Everton next season and be expected to progress and be part of the of the team. He's got incredible potential.

"It's been a season of development, but that £40m price tag amplifies expectations and everything that goes with it."