Tyrique George believes he is beginning to “gel” with his Everton teammates as he sets his sights on the Blues’ starting line-up. The 20-year-old scored his first goal in Royal Blue on Wednesday, producing a sharp turn and finish to add the third in his side’s 3-1 win over Newcastle United.
Pre-season confidence boost
It was a crowning moment for a pre-season that has seen him grow in confidence after his stay on Merseyside was made permanent following his loan spell. George previously told the ECHO he had no hesitation over returning to Finch Farm when he became aware that Everton were in talks with former club Chelsea over a permanent deal. An initial £18m deal sealed the switch for the England Under-21s international, a figure that could rise to £24m if a series of clauses are met.
The move followed a six month loan spell that showed signs of promise. George did not record a goal nor an assist in 11 appearances - though his statistics do not tell the full story of a player who created numerous glorious chances for his teammates and who was denied a sublime equaliser at Tottenham Hotspur by an excellent Antonin Kinsky save.
Gelling with teammates
He now has his first goal for the Blues, albeit in a friendly, and left Murrayfield with another jolt of confidence as a result. He said: “You can tell by my celebration that I was happy. It was good to get off the mark. I'm definitely getting fitter and more confident with how I'm playing. I know the system a bit better as well, so it's all gelling well.”
George said he was doing extra work after training to prepare for the new campaign and that David Moyes had urged him to be more direct and to “just express myself and be myself”. Growing relationships with some of the players around him are helping him on the pitch, he said. That includes Harrison Armstrong, who helped to craft George’s goal, and England youth international teammate Tyler Dibling, who has also grown in stature across pre-season.
First-team ambitions
Of his relationship with Dibling, he said: “We’re both onto each other in training a lot, trying to do well and push each other. We just want to keep it going.” He added Armstrong was a “top player and a top person” and, on the approaching season, said: “I’m very excited. We're just pushing together in training to get ready… I'm obviously trying to break into the team. I'm a young player, so I want to try get a few starts in the league. And… goals and assists.”
