5 hours Ago By Dan Owen
Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle all scouted Southampton starlet Tyler Dibling as he opened the scoring during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town. Exclusive from Graeme Bailey After a few eye-catching performances in pre-season, the Exeter-born 18-year-old is now making a real impression on The Saints’ first-team at the start of the new Premier League season. Tyler Dibling was outstanding in the first-half of last week’s clash with Manchester United.
He won the penalty which Cameron Archer missed, moments before Matthijs de Ligt and Marcus Rashford struck at the other end. And HITC can now confirm that scouts working on behalf of Man United – who took note of his display against Erik ten Hag’s men – were in attendance at St Mary’s seven days later as Russell Martin’s Southampton welcomed fellow top-flight newcomers Ipswich Town to the banks of the Solent. Dibling, HITC understands, was also watched by Tottenham, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Brighton and West Ham.
A Southampton side who have lost so many of their most talented young players over the years – from Sadio Mane to Virgil van Dijk, Luke Shaw to Adam Lallana – may therefore be at risk of history repeating itself as clubs start to turn their focus to January 2025. Tyler Dibling shows why Manchester United and Newcastle like him The goal which gave Southampton an early lead against Ipswich was Dibling’s first in senior action. And manager Martin could not speak highly enough of the teenager at full-time, even if his joy was tempered by a 95th-minute equaliser from Sam Morsy which denied the hosts their maiden win back in the Premier League.
“Tyler was excellent, but we also need to bear in mind his age and be patient,” Martin told the Times Series . “It’s not just going to be easy and a linear path to being the best he can be. “But he can do things that not many other players I’ve ever seen can do.
I love working with him. I love watching him play. “I would pay a lot of money to watch him play football.
And, fortunately, I’m the guy that gets to work with him and try and develop him.” Give Me Sport reported, a few days ago, that Man United’s new sporting director Dan Ashworth is a big fan of Dibling. Ashworth reportedly wanted the one-time Chelsea prospect at Newcastle too.
Therefore, he could find himself in a battle with his old employers for the England Under 19 international with The Magpies keeping close tabs on Dibling themselves. Another of his suitors, Brighton and Hove Albion, can boast an outstanding track record when it comes to developing young talent. A record which encouraged former Celtic talisman Matt O’Riley to join in August.
Rivals Crystal Palace also have a history with snapping up rising stars with an EFL background. Ebere Eze, Marc Guehi, Adam Wharton and Michael Olise – now at Bayern Munich – all moved to Selhurst Park after playing Championship football elsewhere. Is the Premier League about to welcome a new Marcus Rashford? Dibling is currently under contract until 2026.
Southampton, then, are under no immediate pressure to cash in on a winger hailed by Rio Ferdinand after Man United’s 3-0 win on the South Coast. “Dibling has not had as big an exposure because he is not at the same type of club,” the 2008 Champions League winner said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel , taking up comparisons between Southampton’s number 33 and a young Marcus Rashford. “But I think, when anyone comes through, the environment you are in is so important, what that can determine for your career is so telling.
” “That’s why I look at Dibling now, and I just hope that – I am presuming he has at Southampton – got an environment that actually embraces him, brings him in but will keep him level-headed. “That environment (also must) be having channels of communications with his family to make sure that they are very aware of his progress and his pathway now.”.
