Tyler Dibling has been named in the Southampton squad for the Sunday lunchtime clash with Ipswich Town
Tyler Dibling during the Premier League match between Everton and Southampton at Goodison Park on the final day of last season. Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images
Tyler Dibling during the Premier League match between Everton and Southampton at Goodison Park on the final day of last season. Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images
Tyler Dibling has returned to the Southampton matchday squad after missing the opening game of the season amid interest from Everton. The Blues have submitted three bids for the 19-year-old, the last of which was for a package that had the potential to rise to £37.5m.
Dibling had been identified as a potential candidate to provide David Moyes with a much-needed option on the right wing.
Blues boss Moyes will take his side to Leeds United on Monday night without a specialist option in that position despite a summer-long search to replace Jesper Lindstrom and Jack Harrison, who shared that role while on loan last season.
Everton launched a pursuit of Dibling in the final weeks of pre-season but have been unwilling to reach the Saints’ valuation for the teenager. The England youth international is understood to be open to the move, should a price be agreed.
He was left out of his club’s Championship opener with Wrexham last weekend but, with the clubs appearing to be too far apart for negotiations to be continued at this stage of the window, the Blues have started to consider alternative options.
Against that backdrop, Dibling has returned to the fold on the south coast and been named on the bench for the Sunday lunchtime clash at Ipswich Town.
Speaking ahead of the fixture, Southampton manager Will Still explained his plans.
"For the moment, he's still a Southampton player - he's trained really well yesterday, and he's trained well today," the Saints boss said via the Daily ECHO.
"We'll make a decision purely based on what the team needs and where he's at physically, but we'll make that call later in the day or tomorrow. He's still a Southampton player, and he hasn't gone anywhere.
"I know there's been a lot of noise, there's a lot of noise about a few players. We can't control that as such, it's just part and parcel of what the transfer window is, so we'll have to wait and see."
Asked how he has been managing Dibling, Still replied: "Having honest conversations, I think he was pretty honest in the past few weeks.
"It's not the easiest thing for him - he's still very young, he's still trying to understand how it all works.
"I'll be honest with everyone and hope they are back. Everyone has been. There was some stuff about Matty [Fernandes] and Matty's come back and done really well. I'm sure Tyler will be exactly the same."