Ashley Young and Sean Dyche share 19-year connection at Everton

Everton’s new summer signing Ashley Young has an extraordinary 19-year connection with manager Sean Dyche.

The 38-year-old was signed this week on a free transfer after Aston Villa allowed the veteran’s deal to expire following the end of last season.

At one time Young was a maruading, exciting winger pushing for titles, but his later years have seen him transition into a defensive full-back role - capable of covering either flank.

Dyche will certainly be happy to bring in someone with his level of experience, availability and versatility as he looks to improve his side after helping them stay in the Premier League last season.

In terms of the connection, Dyche and Young actually lined up in the same Watford side in 2004. Young was just at the time but had managed to make 15 starts across the 2004/05 season. Dyche was also a mainstay, when he was fit, starting 23 of his 25 games that campaign.

Young has since gone onto play 110 times for the Hornets before going onto have successful careers at Aston Villa, Manchester United and Inter Milan. Despite his advanced age, he still played over 2,000 minutes last season and will be a regular feature next season.

Dyche retired not long after that in 2007, before taking up a role as the club’s U18 coach. His first taste of management took him to becoming Malky Mackay’s assistant in 2009. When the manager left to join Cardiff City in 2011, Dyche was given the full role. That then got him the Burnley job where he resided for 11 years with his crowning achievement guiding the club to Europe after a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League in the 2017/18 season.

Now, Dyche will likely call upon his former teammate across multiple roles, especially in defence. With Vitayli Mykolenko struggling to make an impact going forward, Young can offer more ability on the ball which will help beat the press, or during the build-up or even in advanced positions.