Spurs were among the clubs interested in a deal for the gifted teenage midfielder during the latter stages of the January transfer window and even held talks with Southampton, only to be put off by the Saints’ demands for an enormous fee well over a reported asking price that had been said to stand at around £55m.
Spurs were expected to reignite their interest in Dibling ahead of the summer transfer window, continuing to be strongly linked with both the 19-year-old and England’s Angel Gomes, who has been playing for Lille in France since leaving Manchester United in 2020.
However, Tottenham may have to pay an astronomical fee if they want to land Dibling, with The Telegraph reporting on Wednesday that Southampton are ready to demand more than £100m for his services this summer.
The former Chelsea youngster has been among few bright sparks in an otherwise woeful season for the Saints following their promotion back to the Premier League, scoring four times across all competitions for a team that have just two wins and nine points to their name from 29 top-flight matches so far this term - sitting 17 points adrift of safety with only nine games to play and relegation back to the Championship surely already a forgone conclusion.
Manchester United, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Manchester City - along with a host of clubs from overseas - are also said to be interested in Dibling, who is now playing for England’s Under-21s and is under contract at St Mary’s until the summer of 2026 but with the club holding the option of an extra year beyond that.
Former Southampton head coach Russell Martin in December laughed off reports of a £21m fee being enough to sign the player, insisting that would not even be enough to “get his left foot”.
He also revealed that Southampton had been in talks with Dibling to sign a new contract, but as yet they have not come to any agreement with relegation now looking a certainty.