Manchester City and several rivals have reportedly learned it could cost around £100m to sign one of the Premier League’s brightest young talents this summer.
Tyler Dibling has been one of Southampton’s only bright sparks of the season amid their poor campaign, which is set to result in an instant return to the Championship.
Having managed four goals and two assists in 30 games in all competitions this season, Dibling’s first season in the top-flight has been that promising that it has garnered enough attention and hype that top clubs are all lining up to sign him.
That form has caught the eye of top teams given his pedigree at England youth level, his poise in the Premier League despite his limited experience and his clear high ceiling of potential that could transform him into a top player one day.
*The Telegraph*have reported that while multiple clubs in England and abroad hold an interest in the soon-to-be-relegated star, the Saints are hoping to stand firm on their valuation and maximise the potential fee by setting their stall out at £100million.
It is said to have frustrated the interested parties, with the likes of Man City, Man United, Bayern Munich, Tottenham and RB Leipzig all interested in a move, with many sending scouts regularly to watch him play.
Southampton’s academy manager, Andy Goldie, labelled him as a ‘world-class talent’, claiming he has shades of Matt Le Tissier and his ability to drive forward and beat a man from the wing has clearly been evident in his performances this season despite the collective struggles of the side. While Saints manager Ivan Juric recently hailed the teenager’s “incredible potential”.
Given that they are set to be relegated with one of the worst points tallies in Premier League history, earning a hefty fee could help them strengthen across the board in the hope of an instant return to the top-flight, but the gap between the top two English divisions has never been so wide, both in terms of quality and finances.
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While many other clubs were linked, City stand as the most prominent name out of the interested parties and it would certainly be an interesting deal should they get it over the line.
City’s academy has developed some incredible talents over recent years with Rico Lewis, Cole Palmer, Oscar Bobb and Liam Delap, to name a few, but arriving at an elite club for Dibling would be unlikely to yield the career path he desires.
Simply put, while City are in the midst of a rebuild this summer, they are more likely to sign household names rather than up-and-coming youngsters – and an alternate avenue at the likes of RB Leipzig or even Tottenham would be likely to give him more minutes.
City is likely to part ways with several players, including Kyle Walker, Ederson, Jack Grealish, Kalvin Phillips and potentially others as well, but it won’t be enough to warrant a place in the squad for Dibling who would be squad player at best, unlikely to feature anywhere as prominently as he needs at this stage of his career.