Signing both Tyler Dibling and Adam Aznou this summer felt a little out of character for Everton, a club that hasn't often sought to bring in young players and allow them to develop, especially in recent years. David Moyes' presence added to that, as he's a manager who often notes he's seeking "Premier League experience" when discussing potential incomings to the club.
Still, both players are here, Dibling from Southampton and Aznou from Bayern Munich, yet the opportunities for both to play have been few and far between.
Dibling has seen just under 500 minutes this season for Moyes, mostly starting in either cup matches or during the recent absence of Iliman Ndiaye while at the Africa Cup of Nations. Two of those starts have seen him pulled at half-time, while another, against Wolves in the Carabao Cup, lasted just 12 minutes into the second half.
The England U21 international has yet to register a goal contribution and has managed just five total shots in his 14 appearances for the Blues. Meanwhile, Moyes clearly favors Dwight McNeil over the teenager, maybe for that aforementioned experience.
Aznou's situation is even more bizarre. The Morocco international saw more minutes for Bayern in 2025 (9 in the Club World Cup) than in the Premier League for Everton (a big old goose egg). He finally made his senior debut for the Toffees as a late substitute in the FA Cup loss to Sunderland.
Frankly, he changed the match. His energy on the wing was immediate, and he earned a penalty, albeit a dodgy one, that allowed Everton to equalize late, even though they'd be undone by a penalty shootout after extra time.
Two weeks later, he has yet to feature again, although everyone watching saw what an influence he had on the match.
But Jack Grealish's injury might create an opportunity for both players to find their way into the squad.
For Dibling, it's as simple as Ndiaye plugging in on the left wing (his more natural position anyway), allowing the teenager to continue to play on the right, a position Dwight McNeil is clearly not suited for.
It's trickier for Aznou, but the Sunderland appearance provided the blueprint. Moyes likely doesn't trust him enough defensively to put him in a left back over Vitalii Mykolenko. But Aznou impacted the match as a winger in the FA Cup, and he could do it again.
This option involves leaving Ndiaye on the right and letting Aznou move into Grealish's spot in front of Mykolenko. This could be at the expense of Dibling, but it is another way for Moyes to line up his side.
It's also possible that the trio of Aznou, Ndiaye, and Dibling could play together. This scenario involves dropping Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall a bit deeper and sliding Ndiaye in at the no.10, although this would also mean that you're losing one of either Idrissa Gana Gueye or James Garner in the midfield, a choice Moyes is unlikely to opt for.
Losing Jack Grealish isn't a good thing for Everton. But there might be silver linings in the injury, and Moyes must find them for his potential future core of young players.