Newcastle United 'tracking' teenage Southampton starlet dubbed 'the next Gareth Bale'

Newcastle United are reportedly monitoring Southampton teenage starlet Tyler Dibling as the Magpies look to strengthen their youth team ranks.

The 16-year-old is someone Newcastle are very familiar. Dibling bagged a sensational first half hat-trick in April at St James' Park for Southampton against Newcastle in the Premier League 2. The U16 England international is highly rated on Tyneside and is someone Newcastle are reportedly keen on signing. The teenager is an attacking midfielder who is capable of playing as a forward.

So impressive were Dibling's performances for Southampton's U18 and B-team sides, it prompted Saints boss Ralph Hassenhuttl to include the teenager on the bench for a Premier League tie against Brentford last season. The comparisons to former Southampton star Gareth Bale have been made by plenty of Saints fans. Bale made his Southampton first team debut at the age of 16, a feat Dibling could match should he remain with the Saints next season.

"We know his qualities and we are not jumping on this; we try to keep it calm," Hassenhuttl said of Dibling back in April.

"He is one of the shining players in our youth, we know that, meanwhile, it is always very difficult to keep them in our club.

“The good thing is that we see how good he is, the bad thing is other clubs are seeing it, but you can be sure we will try to push him and to support him. I think he represents one of the good ones.”

Hassenhuttl isn't the only one who has been impressed by the 16-year-old's performances. Southampton's B team boss Dave Horseman was effuse in his praise of the teenager after he made the step up to the Premier League 2.

"Incredible, to be honest," said Horseman when asked what he made of Dibling's St James' Park