Southampton are reportedly set to entertain a bidding war for sensation Tyler Dibling in the summer transfer window, with Crystal Palace said to have entered the race for the teenager.
The Saints have endured a torrid season of football on the pitch, with the club last in 20th place in the Premier League, and with relegation looking almost certain speculation regarding the future of head coach Ivan Juric is rife.
However, the uncertainty that surrounds the manager also extends to several players on the pitch, with attacker Dibling a possible candidate to leave the club in the upcoming transfer window.
The 19-year-old's powerful dribbling ability has helped Southampton turn defence into attack, and he has been one of Saints' brightest sparks despite only starting 15 times in the league.
Should the club suffer relegation from the top flight, Football Insider claim that Dibling will be of interest to Crystal Palace, who have reportedly joined a number of teams in the queue to sign the talented forward.
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Can Saints keep hold of Dibling?
Various reports suggested that Tottenham Hotspur pushed to sign the teenager in the January transfer window, and when Juric was asked about whether the attacker would stay beyond deadline day, he was confident that Dibling would remain on the south coast, saying: "I think Dibling will stay."
Despite his confidence in the January window, it would be surprising if Southampton were able to keep hold of their most talented stars in the Championship.
Having said that, the second tier could offer the 19-year-old the chance to play regularly and develop physically, something that may not be provided to him should he sign for a club such as Tottenham.
It could prove more difficult to dissuade Dibling from joining a team like Crystal Palace, who have an excellent track record in recent years of developing young stars, with the likes of Adam Wharton and Michael Olise shining at Selhurst Park.
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Should Saints trust Juric with transfer funds?
If Dibling was to move on from Southampton in the summer, the club are expected to demand a sizeable transfer fee, with some reports suggesting they could ask for in excess of £50m.
Such a sale may facilitate the recruitment of numerous stars for their promotion push back to the Premier League, but it remains to be seen if Juric will be trusted to lead the team in the Championship.
Southampton have only picked up nine points in 27 Premier League games and Juric has lost nine of his 10 top-flight matches in charge on the South Coast.
Dibling's transfer could allow the team to build a competitive squad and bounce straight back into the top flight, but Southampton's hierarchy have to be sure that Juric is the right man to lead the club forward in order to make the most of any sale.
Lewis Nolan
