Man Utd hold key advantage in remarkable 17-team race for breakout EPL star

Manchester United are desperate to secure new attacking players in the summer transfer window, and despite plenty of competition, the club hope they could have the edge for Tyler Dibling.

Manchester United hope that a personal connection could help them land in-demand Southampton star Tyler Dibling this summer. Dibling has been the one bright spot for Southampton in a miserable campaign which will end in relegation back to the Championship – and potential records as one of the worst Premier League sides ever.

The 19-year-old attacking midfielder has looked at ease in the top flight and his natural dribbling ability has caught the eye of many scouts. Saints have fielded a lot of interest in their academy graduate and look powerless to stop him leaving in the summer transfer window.

Dibling previously joined Chelsea for a very brief spell in July 2022, but only made two appearances for the Blues’ under-18s before returning to St Mary’s a few months later. This summer, he is widely expected to leave permanently, despite being under contract with Saints until June 2027.

United are keen to reshape their ailing squad for Ruben Amorim this summer and The Daily Mail reports that they sent scouts to watch Dibling play for England under-19s against Wales last Wednesday in Bangor. It is the latest in a number of occasions that United employees have watched him live.

The club hope that the presence of technical director Jason Wilcox at Old Trafford could give them the edge in the race for Dibling. Wilcox was hired last year from Southampton, where he knew Dibling from his time as director of football.

The difficulty for United is that 14 Premier League sides have enquired about Dibling, while RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have all shown strong interest, according to the Daily Mail. Although United can likely offer more regular game time than some of their rivals, they are clearly in a rebuilding phase, with Amorim’s side sitting 13th in the Premier League.

Dibling has four goals and two assists in 30 games for Saints this season, but his statistics do not tell the whole story of his season. The youngster has been head and shoulders above his team-mates, with his ability to carry the ball forwards, often unaided, giving Southampton a threat on the break.

He was given plenty of opportunities by former Saints boss Russell Martin, who addressed rumours about his future back in December. “I was told some rumours about Man United, one was a bid of £21m," Martin said.

"I'm not sure you'll get his left foot for that. We have offered him a contract, a really good contract for someone his age. At the minute, I don't think his agent agrees, so that's where we're at."