Newcastle United supporters are loving life right now.
Saturday’s FA Cup victory over Bromley means the Magpies have now won eight successive matches, doing so, as a top-flight club, for the first time since March 2005.
As well as FA Cup progression, Eddie Howe’s team have climbed up to fifth in the Premier League table and are all but through to the EFL Cup Final, meaning they will aim to collect a ninth consecutive victory when Wolves visit St James’ Park on Wednesday night, a feat the club most-recently achieved in 1994.
Currently on course for Champions League qualification, Newcastle could also be busy off the field this January, seeking to enhance their forward line.
Newcastle targeting new winger
Newcastle haven’t enjoyed the transfer window recently. In 2024, they were forced to sell two incredibly talented young players in Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh.
Well, fast forward to January 2025 and it looks like they’re trying to fix that situation by bringing in one of the finest young English prospects.
That’s according to The Athletic who reveal that ‘Newcastle have watched’ Southampton winger Tyler Dibling.
He is not a priority target for January and is one of a number of young forward players being looked at.
Previous reports add that the attacker is also on Manchester City’s “radar”, while Chelsea regret allowing the teenager to return to the Saints two seasons ago.
Newcastle have a long-standing interest in Dibling, he reportedly met with club staff during a visit to Tyneside in 2022, and their interest in his signature remains strong.
Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider believes Southampton value their most-prized asset at £30m, adding it is ‘inevitable’ that he will leave the Saints this year, given that the South Coast side are doomed for the drop, currently ten points from safety.
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How Tyler Dibling would improve Newcastle
Speaking on BBC’s Match of the Day, former Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy said Dibling “goes past people at ease, he’s got a lovely left foot”, adding even though he’s only just come on the scene, “he’s going to be something really special”.
So where would Dibling fit in at Newcastle?
The teenager has been deployed both wide-right and centrally for Southampton, but would likely be signed to usurp the in-form Jacob Murphy as Newcastle’s first-choice option on the right-flank, so let’s see how the duo compare.
Appearances
23
19
Minutes
1,471
1,152
Goals
4
3
Assists
2
7
Shots
28
25
Shots on target %
39.3%
24%
Pass completion %
77.8%
70.5%
Progressive carries
50
30
Shot-creating actions
37
39
Attempted take-ons
73
23
% of successful take-ons
35.6%
34.8%
Before analysing the statistics, it’s worth stating up front that Murphy is playing for the most in-form team in the Premier League, a side he is, in fairness, a key member of, while Dibling’s Southampton are on course to break Derby’s worst-ever points tally of 11, set in 2007/08.
That caveat aside, Dibling’s numbers are even more impressive, emphasising he is much more of a direct winger than Murphy, hence why he’s accumulated more shots, a higher % of which hit the target, while the teenager has attempted more than three times as many take-ons.
In fact, across the entire Premier League, only 11 players have registered more take-ons, while he ranks joint 35th for progressive carries, which may not sound overly impressive, but it certainly is considering the Saints are rock-bottom of the table, having won only one game all season, so just imagine how effective Dibling could be in a top side.
Murphy is certainly underrated, playing magnificently well for Newcastle right now, but if the Magpies want to go to the next level, they need a game-changing right-winger.
Dibling could be the man they’re looking for; alongside Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, he would certainly form a frightening attacking trident.
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