Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed last Sunday with a 3-1 loss away at Tottenham.
It has been a dismal season for the Saints, they have only won two games all season and they are the first-ever club to have had relegation confirmed with as many as seven matches still to play.
Manager Ivan Juric left the club following Sunday’s defeat, losing 12 out of the 14 top-flight games that he took charge of Southampton.
However, amidst a challenging campaign, one bright spark has emerged for the Saints – namely Tyler Dibling, who has caught the eye with a string of eye-catching performances.
The likes of Man City and Tottenham are said to be interested in the attacker, with Southampton wanting £100m for Dibling’s services – a fee which Russell Martin believes would be money well spent.
Russell Martin lauds ‘talented’ Tyler Dibling
Martin handed the 19-year-old his Premier League debut earlier this season back in September against Manchester United.
The former Saints boss has since spoken on his time coaching Dibling, revealing that he is ‘the most talented player’ he has worked with.
“Tyler has every capability to play for England and at the top level for a very long time because he’s powerful, really quick, both-footed and he has a physicality where players just bounce off him.
“He has something about him that I’ve not seen in a British player for a very long time, to play in the middle of the park and to be able to swivel and go.
“He’ll play as a number eight or ten eventually but he can play out wide too and even false nine, he played false nine for us in pre-season and he was our best player.
“He’s an amazing young man but he needs the right style of play and environment to really thrive.
“I don’t think he’ll be cheap but he’ll be worth every penny,” Martin told The Rest Is Football podcast.
Dibling has been compared to Cole Palmer
Dibling’s performances have even earned him comparisons to Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and it’s easy to see why.
The pair have a similar build, are both left-footed and excellent dribblers with an eye for the spectacular.
Speaking on Match Of The Day in December, Dion Dublin compared the two youngsters, saying:
“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.”
With Man City looking for Kevin De Bruyne replacements, Dibling could potentially be the ideal long-term option for Pep Guardiola’s side.
The post ‘Most talented’ – Man City and Tottenham told why £100m summer target will be ‘worth every penny’ appeared first on HITC.
