Newcastle United sporting director Paul Mitchell is keen on signing Southampton winger Tyler Dibling.
Newcastle fans will hope Mitchell can work his magic and tempt his former club to allow the bright prospect to move to Tyneside. Southampton are on a downward spiral and look set to be relegated from the Premier League for the second time in three seasons.
The Magpies are in the market for a winger in January. Eddie Howe has prioritised signing a right-sided attacker due to a lack of quality on that side.
The need for a right-winger is set to increase in the coming days before the transfer window slams shut. Miguel Almiron is likely to leave Newcastle in January following a transfer offer from Atlanta United, his former club.
It looks like things could get tough for Howe in the coming weeks if they don’t sign a winger. Harvey Barnes is out for the next month. He would usually be the favoured option on the right wing should Jacob Murphy be unavailable.
Now, a recent revelation has now confirmed why Newcastle won’t be signing Dibling in January.
Newcastle target Dibling out injured until February
At just 18 years old, Dibling has shone in a lacklustre Southampton side in the Premier League this season. The winger has scored twice in 20 league appearances this season and recently scored a brace in their FA Cup tie against Swansea.
However, in Southampton’s late defeat to Manchester United, Dibling was forced off with a suspected ankle problem.
He failed to appear in their defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday because of the problem. Saints boss Ivan Juric has revealed via Southampton’s website the initial feeling of how severe the problem is.
“We will see. They told me it’s not a good situation,” Juric said. “We have to wait one week and then they will do another exam to be sure how many he will be out.
Initial estimates say that Dibling could be out for between four to six weeks, but it could be longer depending on what specialists say.
Dibling’s injury also means that the winger will not feature in Newcastle’s trip to Southampton on Saturday.
It’s a blow for Newcastle and Howe who wanted Dibling in January. Reports suggest that Dibling would cost Newcastle £21m, a fee they should be able to afford given Almiron’s sale is expected to be worth around £10m.
Newcastle’s options away from Dibling
As much as Howe wants to sign a winger, Newcastle are not expected to buy in January. Profit and Sustainability Rules have been a problem at the club for the last 18 months. Those problems have also trickled into the January transfer window.
In terms of potential alternatives, Newcastle are linked with Botafogo winger Luiz Henrique. They face competition from Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace for his signature.
Bryan Mbeumo is a long-term Newcastle target but his £60m price tag may be too much for the club to spend in January.
Elsewhere, the Magpies want Maghnes Akliouche from Monaco. Like Southampton, Mitchell would be raiding a former workplace if he were to sign the Frenchman.
With the transfer window slamming shut in the next week-and-a-half, the pressure is building to give Newcastle fans the signings they want.
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