Tyler Dibling has been a rather hot topic around here of late, with a lot of attention being paid attention to the transfer saga that is in process between Southampton and Everton over the player.
After reports from earlier today indicated that a third bid was imminent from David Moyes and the Everton transfer committee, it appears that the Saints are fast movers when it comes to rejecting bids from the Merseysiders.
Paul Joyce of The Times said in his latest transfer update that while progress is being made toward Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall joining Everton, that the Dibling situation is not moving along well, even though the 19-year-old has become "the preferred option to strengthen on the right wing" for the Toffees.
Joyce adds to that statement by noting:
""[T]he Championship club are continuing to seek more than the latest bid for Dibling, who is keen to move to Merseyside and has two years remaining on his contract. It will now need Southampton to relent on their asking price for progress to be made.""Paul Joyce, The Times
This is a strange case for Everton, who certainly need several more players to walk through the door at Finch Farm before the season starts two weeks from today at Elland Road away to Leeds United. But it's one that's fraught with uncertainty given Dibling's age and experience as a professional footballer.
Very few doubt that his potential is very high, but there are reasonable concerns about whether the teenager can slide into Everton's starting XI and contribute on a week-to-week basis right away.
Of course, he's a Southampton player and so the club has every right to push this as far as it wants, both to make sure they get the most out of the transfer that they can, but also to establish a baseline in case other clubs come calling.
But having bid £40 million and seeing that rejected for a third time, it's probably time for Everton to relent and accept that Southampton are not going to give up Dibling for anything less than what they want to sell him for, if they choose to do so at all.
In the meantime, there are other reported targets, like Takefusa Kubo, who will cost the same money but have a little more experience in top-flight football.
Surely, Everton must persist in finding a right winger, but it doesn't have to be Dibling, especially if Southampton don't want to sell him for what Everton want to pay.