Italian giants Inter Milan are reportedly interested in young English duo Josh Acheampong and Tyler Dibling.
The 20-time Italian champions sent a scout to watch the pair play for England Under-19s on Wednesday as they defeated Wales 2-0 to move top of their EURO qualification group.
According to Alan Nixon (paywall), Acheampong is currently deeply in contract at Chelsea while a move for Dibling could be very likely as he could “go to the highest bidder” following Southampton‘s impending relegation.
How have the duo performed this season?
Josh Acheampong has had quite a difficult season. The 18-year-old was frozen out by Enzo Maresca for three months and was not allowed to play for the youth teams or the first team due to a contract dispute.
However, following a breakthrough in negotiations, the defender signed a new five-year deal with the club. This allowed him to be selected again and he has made eight appearances for Chelsea’s first team this season. Acheampong managed to assist England’s first goal on Wednesday, setting up Ethan Wheatley in the 57th minute.
As for Dibling, the 19-year-old has been perhaps the only bright spark in what has been a horrendous season for Southampton. The winger has played 30 times for the Saints this season and has four goals and four assists in all competitions this season.
What kind of players are they?
Acheampong is a versatile defender who can play at both centre-back and right-back. He is extremely comfortable on the ball and often likes to bring the ball forward into the midfield before passing.
In the UEFA Conference League, Acheampong has impressed for Chelsea and has won 60% of his duels and has a 100% success rate in aerial duels in the competition.
Dibling on the other hand is a pacy winger who looks to take on his man and create chances. He has created 18 chances in the Premier League this season which is impressive considering Southampton are the lowest scorers in the 92 this season.
The forward has also displayed great technical ability and is an impressive dribbler. This season Dibling has completed over half of his attempted dribbles and has a success rate of 52.6%.
Are moves likely for the duo?
A move for Acheampong may be very tricky due to him signing a five-year contract extension at Chelsea in December. He has also previously been linked with moves to Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid so competition would be likely.
However, it is reasonable to assume that Dibling will depart Southampton at the end of the season following the club’s impending relegation as the club could look to cash in on their star asset.