NEWCASTLE CONFIDENTIAL: Inside Toon’s hunt to sign Tyler Dibling, the £25m Manchester City star on transfer shortlist and a double defensive injury boost ahead of Tottenham clash

Newcastle are interested in signing Southampton’s teenage star Tyler Dibling in 2025 and are monitoring James McAtee’s situation at Manchester City.

Dibling was set to join in the summer of 2022 and met club staff during a visit to Tyneside. He had previously caught the attention of Eddie Howe and the recruitment team after scoring a hat-trick for Southampton Under 23s at St James’ Park at the age of 16.

Former sporting director Dan Ashworth was tasked with leading the chase, but Dibling eventually signed for Chelsea, only to return to the Saints within two months after failing to settle in London.

Sources confirmed this week that the Magpies retain strong interest and with new sporting director Paul Mitchell now linked to Southampton, we understand they are being kept informed of his situation.

Dibling can play as a midfielder or wide and despite Southampton’s problems he has impressed in 12 league starts, netting two goals this season. The 18-year-old’s contract expires in 2026 and the club has an option to extend for a further 12 months. Talks about a new agreement have taken place without a breakthrough.

The England Under-21 player is expected to remain on the south coast this season, but next summer Newcastle could be in a strong position to compete for the signature of a player they rate extremely highly.

However, if Liverpool were to increase their interest in the player, we’re told they would likely be at the front of the queue.

Meanwhile, City midfielder McAtee also has admirers within St James’. Like Dibling, he can play as a winger and fits the profile of young English talent that Howe and the club have focused on in recent seasons.

The 22-year-old, who carries a price tag of £25million, has a host of clubs from home and abroad interested in signing him this month, with his first-team opportunities limited to just three substitute appearances in the Premier League this season. .

For now, Newcastle’s focus is on spending and sources continue to insist that big revenues in January are unlikely. If McAtee remains at City, it is an interest that could continue in the summer.

MIGGY IN A MUD

As for the sale, there is no guarantee that Miguel Almiron will agree to a move away from Newcastle this month.

Mail Sport announced this week that the club has received a bid of around £5 million from a top Brazilian team.

However, we understand Almiron would prefer to return to MLS, where he spent three years at Atlanta United before joining Newcastle for a then club-record fee of £21m in 2019, or remain in Europe.

The stumbling block is the financial expectations of the winger and his agent. He is also said to not be desperate to leave despite making just one league start this season.

Charlotte FC retains the strongest interest in the Paraguayan, while Leicester inquired about him in the summer and is once again monitoring the situation. It leaves Almiron’s future all up in the air from now on.

Newcastle must sell to buy this month – even then they could opt to delay their arrival until the summer – and midfielder Sean Longstaff is also available for transfer.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Martin Dubravka will stay on for as long as he is in the squad, but that situation could change at the end of January if Nick Pope returns without complications from a knee injury. Presumably, Dubravka’s representatives have agreed personal terms with the Saudi club Al Shabab.

BOTMAN’S BACK AND TRIPPS IS FINE!

Sven Botman has declared himself fit for a return to Tottenham this weekend, while Kieran Trippier is doing well after leaving Manchester United on Monday evening.

With Fabian Schar suspended for Saturday’s visit to Spurs and Tuesday’s first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal, Botman is now ready to play after a nine-month absence following a serious knee injury. It is left to Eddie Howe to decide on his inclusion.

The Dutch centre-back has overcome illness in recent days and although a first start is likely to be postponed until the visit of Bromley in the FA Cup third round on Sunday, we can at least expect to see him among the substitutes. in the next two games.

Sources have indicated that Lloyd Kelly will most likely replace Schar, with the in-form Dan Burn moving to right centre-half.

Meanwhile, Trippier came off the field just before the hour mark during the 2-0 win at Old Trafford with what at the time appeared to be a leg problem. However, the former England star is believed to be fine and was not injured.

However, Howe could still rotate him and fellow right-back Tino Livramento for the two games in four days in north London.

NO LONDON LAYOVER

A small point of order: Newcastle will not stay in London between Tottenham and Arsenal matches.

Instead, they will return to Tyneside immediately after Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off before returning for Tuesday night’s kick-off at the Emirates Stadium.

Confidential also understands that the first-team players involved in these matches will be given a few days off after Arsenal in the build-up to the Bromley FA Cup tie, when a whole new XI could be deployed.

GEORDIE BOYS ON TOUR

Newcastle’s away display in their win at Old Trafford was boosted by a current and former Toon player.

Goalkeeper Mark Gillespie was joined by fellow Geordie Paul Dummett to cheer on the 2-0 win. Dummett, who left the club in the summer, made the short journey from Wigan, for whom he signed a short-term contract in November.

However, the 33-year-old is likely to be back on the market in January after disappearing from the first-team picture at the Brick Community Stadium.

LOAN STARS

A Newcastle loanee scored past his Newcastle teammate this week as Joe White beat goalkeeper Max Thompson during MK Dons’ 2-1 win over Chesterfield.

It was White’s third goal in four games and the midfielder has teams in the Championship monitoring his situation.

His loan deal with the League Two club includes a break clause until January, but given his good form of late he could well decide he is best placed to stay at the Dons until the end of the season.

Thompson, meanwhile, continues to gain experience between the posts and the highly rated 20-year-old has started 14 times for Chesterfield this season.

ON THE CLIMB…

Eddie Howe is a true touchline manager, but the head coach recently observed training from the lofty vantage of a platform aboard a jetty.

The Newcastle boss never misses a session kick and even watches many of them on video later in the day.

And in the search for the answers that have led to the team’s excellent change in form, Howe’s ascent up the ladder has coincided with Newcastle’s rise in the Premier League.

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SOUR PAULO FOR LEWIS

The season-ending injury suffered by Jamal Lewis, which prompted his return from a loan spell at Sao Paulo, will not have a major impact on Newcastle’s PSR situation, as the club already receives the majority of his wages paid.

The defender underwent ankle surgery last month and will continue his rehabilitation on Tyneside, ending his partnership with Sao Paulo earlier than expected.

And with his contract at Newcastle set to expire this summer, Lewis will leave on a free transfer, five years after joining from Norwich City for £15 million. That equates to over £500,000 per start.

RIP MICHAEL NEWBERRY AND DAVID WETTEN

There has been some very sad news on two fronts this week, following the deaths of former Newcastle Academy player Michael Newberry and ex-referee and Newcastle Airport chief David Laws.

Newberry died on December 30, on his 27th birthday, and was currently playing for Cliftonville in Northern Ireland. He was born in Newcastle before joining the academy at the age of 11 and later became a winner of the prestigious ‘Wor Jackie’ award, which recognizes the city’s best football talent. He played in the same age group as Sean Longstaff.

I never met or interviewed Michael, but like me he played for the Red House Farm boys’ club in Gosforth, and everyone involved with that club speaks so highly of him.

David Laws passed away this week at the age of 66. He was very well known in the region and was a popular and larger than life character.

He was a Football League referee for 20 years, taking charge of Rob Lee’s testimonial match in Newcastle against Athletic Bilbao in 2001, before becoming airport CEO in 2006.

RIP Michael and David.

SHOW TEASER!

It’s Toon Teaser time. The final piece of the puzzle before Christmas was: can you name the SIXTEEN players who have played for Newcastle and Ipswich since 1992? I’ve since been told that a few Newcastle players have tried this… So if you’re reading guys, here are the answers: Darren Ambrose, Leon Best, Lee Bowyer, Titus Bramble, Michael Chopra, Jack Colback, Kieron Dyer, Ryan Fraser, Marlon Harewood, Shefki Kuqi, Alex Mathie, Daryl Murphy, Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Andros Townsend and Chris Wood.

As this is the second time Newcastle have played Tottenham this season, I cannot reuse the ‘played for both’ format. So I’m going to pick random EFL clubs to continue the question style given the popularity this season.

Here goes… name the THIRTEEN players who have played for Newcastle and Coventry since 1992… I’d say at least 10 of them are very well earned, but a few of them are very tough! Success!