Liverpool are providing the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur with competition for Southampton gem Tyler Dibling, with a report claiming he could be available for a cut-price fee this summer.
While Southampton endured a tough season in the Premier League, picking up just 12 points and heading straight back down, Dibling enjoyed a breakout campaign at senior level. The winger, who mainly likes to play on the right flank, was one of Southampton’s best players despite the fact he is only 19 years old.
Dibling’s record of four goals and three assists in 38 games is clearly not breath-taking, but he put in a series of exciting performances that showed he has a very bright future at the top level.
Dibling has the ability to breeze past players and cut inside on his favoured left foot before either playing in a team-mate or shooting at goal himself.
The teenager is versatile too and has been used as a centre-forward or central attacking midfielder at times.
These positive traits have seen a host of big clubs converge on Dibling, including Man Utd, Chelsea and Spurs.
According to CaughtOffside, ‘Liverpool are the latest club to show concrete interest’ in Dibling.
Liverpool are among the several top clubs who are ‘on alert’, with Dibling ‘expected to leave the Saints this summer’ following their relegation to the Championship.
Liverpool ‘have joined Man Utd, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Spurs, Manchester City and RB Leipzig in the race’, the report claims.
When first learning of interest in the England U21 starlet, Southampton insisted it would take an eye-watering £100million (€117m / $136m) to prise him away from the south coast.
But that fee was always incredibly ambitious and Dibling looks set to be on the move for less this summer.
Portuguese newspaper Record claim a deal worth just €25m (£21m / $29m) could be on the cards.
Although, sources have previously informed TEAMtalk that interested clubs are expecting to pay £60m (€70m / $81.5m) for Dibling.
Record’s report adds that Porto are spying a shock deal to sign Dibling before his Premier League and German Bundesliga suitors.
TEAMtalk revealed on May 15 that Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes is considering a move for Dibling.
That £60m fee would clearly be a big outlay, but the wide man is viewed as a player with sky-high potential by many in the industry.
We understand Dibling is grounded and professional. He is unlikely to push hard for a move as he appreciates all that Southampton have done for his career, though he would be excited by the chance to join a top Premier League side.
David Ornstein confirmed on April 24 that Dibling has caught Man Utd’s attention. Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants the Red Devils to sign the best British talent around and Dibling falls into that category.
While on May 28 it was claimed that Spurs had been given encouragement in their pursuit of the player, after having a £35m bid for him rejected in January.
Spurs had been told that Southampton were ready to ‘cash in’ on Dibling. However, both Man Utd and Spurs need to watch out for Liverpool, who are ramping up their major summer transfer plans.
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Tyler Dibling has ‘power’ and ‘a lovely left foot’
Dibling could end up being a fantastic signing wherever he goes. Match of the Day pundits Danny Murphy and Dion Dublin lauded him in December, with the latter even suggesting he could become the next Cole Palmer.
Murphy began by saying: “It is the quality he has got – the belief in himself and the physical power. He just goes past people with ease. He has got a lovely left foot. He is very brave on the ball and his decision-making is good.
“It is difficult to get too over the top with these young players, because he has just come on to the scene, but he is going to be something special.
“It is great for him getting all these minutes at Southampton. They are giving him the freedom to play and giving him time to learn the game.
“He is just enjoying himself and he is playing with a real belief in himself. He is just instrumental in this team.”
Dublin added: “Do you know what it is? I don’t want to put any pressure on him, but he plays his game like Cole Palmer, doesn’t he?
“He plays free and easy, and he gets himself into good positions, rolls players and takes the ball well.”
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Tyler Dibling – EVERYTHING you need to know
Born in Exeter in February 2006, Dibling signed a professional contract with Southampton in October 2021 and made headlines a few months later after scoring a hat-trick in a Premier League 2 game against Newcastle.
Chelsea fought off competition from Newcastle to sign the left-footed right winger in the summer of 2022, but he failed to settle in west London and quickly returned to Southampton.
The 18-year-old made five first-team appearances in all competitions in 2023/24, but enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024/25.
After being handed his first-ever Premier League start and winning a penalty in a 3-0 defeat against Man Utd, Southampton’s then-manager Russell Martin said: “He’s a really, really talented player.
“We have to manage the expectation and his load because he came off with cramp. He’s an outstanding young man and an outstanding talent, we love working with him.”
Dibling scored his first Premier League goal the following week against Ipswich Town, one of two goals he scored over the course of the campaign (as well as another two in the FA Cup).
The England Under-21 international – who grew up idolizing Eden Hazard – is renowned for his dribbling skills and has impressed his team-mates at St Mary’s.
“When I saw his first session, I thought ‘he’s not 18’,” Yuki Sugawara said of his first impression of Dibling.
“I asked ‘how old are you?’ Then he said 18. I said ‘what the f*** is that?’ He’s really crazy (talented), you know?
“But for sure he will be one of the best players in the Premier League and in the world, I think, because his mentality is so cool. Everything will be top level.
“He’s still young, he needs to learn a lot of things, but he just needs to focus on the process and what he wants to be. Then I think he’s going to be a top, top player.”
Dibling ended his first full Premier League season with 33 appearances, but Southampton suffered relegation to the Championship.
Still, Dibling ranked in the 87th percentile of attacking midfielders and wingers in the league for successful take-ons per 90 minutes and the 80th percentile for carries into the final third.
Dribbling is the name of Dibling’s game and he will be keen to cause more havoc for opposing defenders in the years to come.
But Southampton is a club he is strongly connected to, as he admitted in April.
“At the end of the day, I love Southampton,” he said, following on from reports of a £100m price tag. “I have been here since I was eight. It is such a great team and I am working to do big things with them.”