Chelsea transfer 'wasn't for me' admits Premier League wonderkid

Suraj Radia

24 Oct 2024 18:00 BST
3 min read

One of Chelsea’s most peculiar signings under Todd Boehly has opened up about his whirlwind transfer that saw him join and leave Stamford Bridge in the same summer.

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Chelsea made a host of signings during the first summer under their new Clearlake owners including that of Southampton wonderkid Tyler Dibling, with the then 16-year-old joining the club on a youth contract.

However, just two months later, the youngster returned to Southampton having failed to settle at Chelsea and Dibling has now admitted that the move ‘wasn’t for him’.

“When I was younger I was a Chelsea fan and all my brothers are Chelsea, so once I heard that… it’s just a bit surreal. You want to jump straightaway, and that’s what I did,” Dibling said in Southampton’s matchday programme.

“When you’re younger and you get a bit of traction to your name and your agent tells you this club, this club and this club are looking at you, you’re like ‘oh my god, oh my god'.

“Obviously I thought about it, but maybe I should’ve taken more time to think about it. When I went, I realised it wasn’t for me. The turning point was when we came back here to play against Southampton. That’s when I spoke to my dad and said, ‘I want to go back."

© IMAGO - Tyler Dibling has impressed for Southampton this season.

Dibling has no regrets over Southampton return

Dibling has since broken into Southampton’s first team this season, scoring once in eight Premier League games, with his performances attracting the interest of a host of Premier League clubs, including Chelsea once again.

The teenager had long-been a highly-rated prospect at Southampton and he attracted mainstream attention with a hat-trick of long-range goals against Newcastle’s under-23s at St James’ Park in April 2022.

STATS

Tyler Dibling

M (C), AM (R)

Southampton

Tyler Dibling

M (C), AM (R)

Southampton

10

Games
1

Goals
2

Assists

The display led to Chelsea’s approach and Dibling admitted he had been excited by the prospect of a move to his boyhood club, although he is adamant he made the ‘best decision’ to return to Southampton.

“It was my decision at the end of the day and my parents supported that. That’s the main thing in football – to be happy. No matter what club you’re at, how much money you earn or how many goals you score. I made probably the best decision ever to come back because now I’m playing in the Premier League.”