When it comes to Tottenham Hotspur stars of the last 15 years or so, people will understandably name the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min for the utterly sensational partnership under Mauricio Pochettino and beyond.
However, while they’re both undoubtedly legends of the club and icons of the league, it could be argued that neither one was quite as magnificent as Gareth Bale in his absolute prime.
The Welsh international took a little while to make his mark on the club, but in the few years prior to his world-record transfer to Real Madrid, he was without question one of the very best players in world football.
In fact, his final campaign for the club, in the 12/13 season, could be put forward as one of the best any player has ever had in English football, as he racked up a bonkers haul of 26 goals and ten assists while playing primarily in left-midfield, and some of the goals were utterly sublime to boot.
It would be fair to say that the Cardiff-born legend was a once-in-a-lifetime type of player, and while the Lilywhites might never have a winger quite as devastating as him, recent reports have linked the club with a youngster who could be something close to their next Bale.
Tottenham targeting their next Gareth Bale
According to a recent report from the Telegraph, Tottenham are incredibly interested in Southampton star Tyler Dibling.
Transfer Focus
The report has revealed that the Lilywhites have already held talks over the teenage sensation and would ideally like to sign him this month, but are also discussing an agreement to bring him to the club in the summer.
A potential price the Lilywhites would have to pay for the exciting talent isn’t mentioned in the story, but other reports from earlier this month claim that the Saints value him at a whopping £55m and that several other sides like Chelsea, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Leipzig are also all keen on the player.
It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line for Spurs, but given Dibling’s immense ability and massive potential, it’s undoubtedly one worth fighting for, especially as there are some similarities between him and Bale.
Why Dibling could be Spurs' next Bale
So, there are a few reasons why Dibling could be Spurs’ next Bale and the first is the simple fact that, like the Welsh icon, he’d be joining the club from Southampton as an exciting teenage prospect.
The Lilywhites signed the future Champions League winner from the Saints when he was just 17 years old, and like the talent they are chasing today, they paid what was seen as slightly over the odds at the time, a fee of £5m rising to £10m.
Moreover, similar to the South Coast side’s current young star, the Cardiff-born dynamo was a highly sought-after prospect, with Arsenal and Manchester United both credited with an interest in him prior to his move to N17.
Now, in terms of their similarity on the pitch, it’s a little complicated.
At the time of his transfer, and for some years after, Bale was primarily used as an attacking full-back, but thanks to the genius of Harry Redknapp, he was eventually moved up to wide midfield and the wing, where he’d go on to terrorise opposition defenders with his direct style of play, brutal shot power and underrated range of passes.
The Saints’ current teenage sensation has thankfully been playing in his best role for much of his short senior career already, albeit on the opposite flank, and while it would be absurd to expect a similar level of output out of him as the man whose footsteps he could follow in, he’s already proving to be a handful for defenders.
For example, in just 24 appearances, totalling 1505 minutes, the “special” prospect, as dubbed by former professional turned pundit Danny Murphy, has scored four goals and provided two assists.
Appearances
24
Starts
17
Minutes
1505
Goals
4
Assists
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.25
Minutes per Goal Involvement
250.83′
That means he is averaging a goal involvement every four games, or every 250.83 minutes, which is only made all the more impressive by his age and the fact he is doing so in a team that could go down as the worst in Premier League history.
Ultimately, Dibling looks like he will develop into a superstar a few years from now, and even though he’ll cost a lot of money, Spurs should do all they can to sign him, as he might just be their next Bale.
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