Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown has said that Southampton would almost certainly be forced to sell Tyler Dibling if they are relegated from the Premier League during the 2024-25 campaign.
The Saints have only picked up five points from their 16 league matches this season, which has left them bottom of the Premier League table, already nine points behind 17th-placed Leicester City.
Dibling has been a standout player for Southampton this season, making 18 appearances in all competitions, contributing one goal and two assists in the process, and he is believed to be on the radar of a number of major clubs, including Man United and Newcastle United.
The 18-year-old has a contract at St Mary's until June 2027, and Russell Martin, who is now the former head coach of Southampton, recently played down suggestions that the teenager would soon be on the move.
"I was told some rumours about Man Utd, one was a bid of £21m. I am not sure you will get his left foot for that," said Martin. "We have offered him a contract, a really good contract for someone his age. At the minute, I do not think his agent agrees, so that is where we are at.
"I think Tyler wants it done, I think Tyler's parents want it done, so we will see how long that takes. There is an option. We can extend [Dibling's current deal]. I do not think we want to do that - we want to reward Tyler for his performances.
"I have spoken to Tyler's mum and dad about it, I have spoken to Tyler, but then I am not involved in any of the negotiations - that is down to Phil Parsons [chief executive] and the gang, the owners and Tyler's agent - and that is where it gets tricky."
Tyler Dibling during the match on September 21, 2024© Imago
Southampton 'could be forced' into Dibling sale
However, Brown has said that the decision could be made if Southampton are relegated from the Premier League.
"It's alright Russell Martin saying things like that, but I know what it's like," he told Football Insider. "When you go down, and let's assume for the sake of this argument that they do, you have to cut a lot of costs and sometimes that means losing your best players.
"Because you can't pay them the wages they'll be demanding, and the money that will potentially be on offer can benefit the club in other ways. You lose a lot of money when you're relegated and often need to find ways to bring more in.
"When you've got a young player with a high value, there are always going to be interested clubs like Man United or Newcastle who think 'Yep, we'll take him.' You end up in the process of trying to cut costs while the player's agent is trying to make more money.
"The outcome of that is, for the good of the club, they have to let him go. So whether they want to sell him or not, it may be out of their hands, they may be forced to sell. I think that will be the scenario if Southampton go down."
Southampton winger Tyler Dibling in September 2024.© Imago
How good could Dibling become?
Dibling has one Premier League goal to his name, finding the back of the net against Ipswich Town back in September, and he has continued to shine in a team that has struggled badly this season.
The Englishman's ball-carrying abilities have placed him on the radar of a number of major clubs, with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur also believed to be keen on his services.
It does appear that Southampton will sell Dibling in 2025 even if they avoid relegation, and he could potentially become one of the most dangerous attackers in English football in the coming years.
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