After speculation about the nature of discussions concerning the player, Everton have officially made Tyrique George a permanent member of the squad, announcing today that the winger joins from Chelsea after spending the second half of last year with the Toffees on loan.
George, who turned 20 early in his loan spell, featured in 11 matches for David Moyes' side last season, making one start on February 10 at home against Bournemouth in just his second appearance.
The winger quickly endeared himself to Evertonians with his solid work ethic, along with his pace and directness with the ball at his feet, something that was missing earlier in the season from players like Jack Grealish.
Of course, his arrival and usage by Moyes during that loan period called to question what George was doing to impress while summer signing Tyler Dibling remained a non-entity, something that bringing George back in the fold will do nothing to dispell.
George didn't have any goal contributions last season during his stay at Everton, but he clearly felt there were opportunities for him to grow as a player, which is why he ultimately wanted to come back rather than return to Chelsea.
Talking with toffeetv, George noted that he "I loved [his] time here on loan last season, so as soon as [he] knew it was a possibility to return, that's always what [he] wanted."
The 20-year-old continued: "This is a massive club. I've seen for myself how passionate the fans are about Everton, how much it means to them – and I want to put on good performances, score goals, and create goals to make them happy."
Moyes had this to say about the second summer signing for Everton: "We’re pleased to bring Tyrique back on a permanent basis. He made a positive impression during his loan spell with us last season and settled into the group quickly."
“He’s still young and there’s plenty of development ahead of him, but we believe he’s got the attitude and the ability to keep improving. We’re looking forward to working with him again and helping him fulfil his potential,” the manager added.
The move will invite plenty of speculation about the future of Grealish at Everton, but on its face, spending a reported £18 million with add-ons for a young player with George's potential is a good move.
He'll need to add goals to his locker to see out his potential, but the future is bright for the budding young star, and it's good that he'll be able to begin that journey in earnest as part of Everton Football Club.
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