Tyler Dibling's Chelsea transfer truth as Southampton star sends message vs Liverpool

Former Chelsea winger Tyler Dibling is making a name for himself at Southampton, having had a more successful start than his time at Stamford Bridge. The-18 year-old impressed for the Saints against Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday, sending a clear message with his talent.

Dibling had been involved with the Southampton first team during their promotion campaign last season and made his debut in the victory over Sheffield United in January. He's made 12 top-flight appearances this season.

Dibling joined Southampton in 2012 when he was just six years old, spending a year there before moving to Exeter City. He returned to the Saints in 2014 and impressed in a Premier League 2 match against Newcastle United, scoring a hat-trick of identical goals.

His performance at St James' Park attracted attention, with Newcastle being the first club to express interest. Newcastle pushed hard under the guidance of former sporting director Dan Ashworth, but it was Chelsea who secured his signature.

Reports claimed that that Chelsea offered £1.5million for Dibling, intending for him to sign a professional contract when he turned 17 in March 2023. According to The Athletic, he was offered terms significantly higher than what a 16-year-old on a scholarship deal would typically receive.

Chelsea's lucrative offer was significantly more than what Southampton had tabled for the winger. Upon his transfer to West London, he found himself rubbing shoulders with England under-16s and players scouted from across Britain and beyond.

However, according to The Athletic, Dibling quickly felt like a small fish in a big pond at Chelsea's Cobham training ground. Despite being known as someone who can easily adapt once familiar with his surroundings, he felt like 'an outsider' at Chelsea.

This discomfort is believed to have hindered him from showing his true character, leading to his return to Southampton just two months later. He made his second and final appearance for Chelsea under-18s on August 27 against his former teammates, before re-signing for Southampton on significantly lower terms.

Reflecting on the situation, ex-Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl told The Athletic: "This is maybe an example of needing to listen a little bit more to what experienced people in the club are telling you. Then you don't do things that don't help you in your development as a player.

"This can be a message for some other players also - it is not always the big club that is immediately helping you. Sometimes it's better to stay in an environment where you feel at home and where everybody does everything for you.

"And I'm sure that you get here a very good development in your game. There's a reason why in England I think you say the grass is not always greener somewhere else."