A week left to go into the season, and Southampton have adopted a willing stance about parting ways with Tyler Dibling for a meagre asking price.
A day before the last warm up game of the summer, and Southampton's selling activity has become a clearance sale. As of Sunday, the Saints looked to have nailed down upon their final Championship squad but now almost everyone is up for grabs.
Offloading Samuel Edozie relayed the tell-tale signs that Southampton's board don't rank every young talent as core players, but now, it's getting out of hand. Next, it's Tyler Dibling standing in the exit queue and don't take it with a pinch of salt, because he can leave swiftly and the next thing Saints will notice is his transfer announcement.
At the moment, Dibling can exchange Southampton's red for the blue of Everton with Sky Sports noting: "Southampton have rejected an offer from Everton for midfielder Tyler Dibling. Sky Sports News understands the offer was around £27m."
Dibling going can likely see promotion charge fading away
Till this part, it was going through the same path a typical Dibling speculation goes. An interested party comes calling the Saints, then some offers are floated around but no compromise is reached and the forward remains committed to Southampton.
Strangely, Sky Sports had more in store for the fans as they dropped a bitter twist: "However, it is understood that an offer in the region £40m could be considered for the teenager."
That amount isn't just Tyler Dibling's market price, it's the cost at which Southampton are willing to throw their promotion aim in danger. Being the only wide attacker on the right, Dibling was meant to be a starter as he spent the good portion of the preseason.
And it's only fair to conclude that his ideal departure date has exceeded a month, if Southampton wanted his transfer windfall in this window itself.
Now, whichever replacements they may bring will have to be integrated into the playing combinations in no time. With no friendlies and only a few team trainings for Will Still to find his winning balance.
To sum it up, Southampton have mismanaged the Tyler Dibling situation and making it to the Premier League without him, in an year's time will be no short of a miracle.