Why Tyler Dibling could be a better signing than Eberechi Eze as Tottenham consider transfer
Tottenham are dealing with the fallout of losing key target Eberechi Eze to rivals Arsenal, and are already considering different options.
Spurs need to sign an attacking midfielder and also want a winger, but time is running out in the window after frustration over several targets, including Eze.
Eze was seen as an ideal replacement for the injured James Maddison, while offering top-class creativity and versatility as he could also play on the left.
Tottenham now need to look elsewhere, and they have been linked with Southampton star Tyler Dibling.
While some may be sceptical about the youngster, he could prove to be a better long-term option than Eze.
Tyler Dibling could be a long-term option for Tottenham
Dibling is just 19, but has already caught interest in the Premier League after standing out despite Southampton’s relegation last season.
Southampton rejected offers from Everton for the teenager, and it is clear that they rate him as one of their best talents in some time.
- Dibling has made 33 Premier League appearances, scoring twice and assisting once, but in a struggling team.
- The winger is 19 and has been capped twice by the England under-21 side.
While his statistics so far may seem underwhelming on the surface, it is clear that Dibling has the potential to be one of Southampton’s greatest academy graduates, with Gareth Bale and Matt Le Tissier among those to come through the ranks at St Mary’s.
Although Eze would have had a bigger immediate impact, at 27, his long-term viability is questionable, and he could need replacing within the next three to five years.
Tyler Dibling a better talent than Harry Kane and James Maddison
Dibling is seen as a remarkable young talent, and those who have worked with him believe he can reach the very top level.
Speaking to The Rest Is Football in May, former Southampton manager Russell Martin claimed that Dibling is an even bigger talent than Harry Kane and Maddison.
“I don’t want to make things more difficult for him, but he’s the most talented player I’ve ever seen,” Martin stated.
“Yeah, so seen live, seen on the training pitch. So I worked with James Maddison at that age at Norwich. He was outstanding.
“And Tyler has every capability to go and play for England and at a top level for a very long time, because he’s powerful, he’s really quick. Both feet can shoot, no bang bang. I worked with Harry Kane at 21 when he came to Norwich on loan as well.
“Physically, the stuff I’ve seen him do at 18 in the Premier League, people just bouncing off him and being put on the floor when he dribbles with a ball. He has something I’ve not seen in a British player for a long time.”
Tyler Dibling destined for midfield role
If Dibling were to join now, he would likely continue on the left wing, but it appears likely that he will become an attacking midfielder in the long term.
“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,” Martin added.
This versatility could make Dibling a very useful long-term asset, and like Bale, he can change positions in the coming years to eventually explode in one of them.
Securing a talent of this quality could be a masterstroke for Spurs, and if coupled with another Tottenham signing such as Morgan Rogers, he could prove to be better value than Eze this summer.
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