Newcastle United currently sit in fifth place in the Premier League table and are battling it out to secure a position in the Champions League for next season.
The Magpies have won their last six matches in all competitions and are fresh off the back of a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in North London on Saturday.
As you can see in the highlights below, all three of Eddie Howe’s starting attackers were involved in the two goals, with Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak scoring and Jacob Murphy assisting the second goal.
Murphy has now contributed with an eye-catching three goals and seven assists in 17 appearances in the Premier League this season, which shows that he has stepped up to provide regular quality on that right side of the attack.
The former Norwich star turns 30 next month, however, and is unlikely to be the long-term solution to Howe’s problems in that position moving forward.
Newcastle could dip into the market in the January transfer window to find a long-term option to grow into that role, by signing a player closer to Hatem Ben Arfa in style than Murphy.
Hatem Ben Arfa's time with Newcastle
The French magician was a left-footed star who could play as an attacking midfielder or on the right flank, cutting in onto his left foot from the right, during his time at St. James’ Park.
In three years on Tyneside, Ben Arfa contributed with 14 goals and 15 assists in 86 appearances in all competitions for the Magpies, which shows that he offered plenty of quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Beyond his goals and assists, the Toon sensation was simply a joy to watch. The mercurial playmaker, who averaged 2.9 successful dribbles per game throughout his career, was not afraid to run at defenders to get the team up the pitch and fans off their seats.
As you can see in the clip above, Ben Arfa had the ability to weave in and out of multiple challenges to create moments of magic in the final third, which resulted in wondergoals when he could apply the finishing touch to go with it.
Of course, not every mazy dribble ended with a goal or an assist, otherwise he would not have been playing for Newcastle battling in midtable in the Premier League at the time, but he often provided a spark when the team needed one out of nowhere.
Ben Arfa was a player the fans could get excited to watch play football week-in-week-out and Howe could unearth the club’s new version of the French sensation by swooping to sign one of Newcastle’s reported transfer targets before the end of the January window.
Newcastle eyeing Premier League gem
Last month, Football Insider reported that the Magpies are one of the clubs interested in a deal to sign Southampton forward Tyler Dibling ahead of the second half of the season.
The outlet claimed that Newcastle and Manchester United are both eyeing up the 18-year-old starlet after his impressive start to life in the Premier League with the struggling Saints.
It was reported that Dibling would prefer a move to St. James’ Park over one to Old Trafford, however, due to concerns over the kind of game time he would get with Ruben Amorim’s side.
Football Insider added that it could take a fee of up to £30m to convince Southampton to part ways with their star academy product, despite their struggles on the pitch in the top-flight this season.
It was not revealed, however, whether or not Newcastle would be prepared to offer that kind of money to secure a deal for the England youth international in the January transfer window.
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The report did state, though, that any deal for Dibling is more likely to happen in the summer transfer window and that relegation from the Premier League for Southampton, who have six points on the table, could make an exit for the teenage star ‘inevitable’.
Whether it happens this month or ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, Howe could unearth the club’s next version of Hatem Ben Arfa by striking a deal to bring Dibling to St. James’ Park to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch.
Why Tyler Dibling could be Hatem Ben Arfa 2.0
Firstly, the Saints star does not turn 19 until February and is not yet at the peak of his powers in senior football, so he is someone who could come in with the long-term picture in mind.
This means that Howe could work with him on the training pitch to help the teenage sensation to fulfill his potential and elevate himself to a Ben Arfa level, or even higher, talent.
Anthony Gordon produced seven goals and three assists in 65 Premier League matches for Everton, a hardly prolific return, yet has managed 17 goals and 14 assists in 70 top-flight games under Howe, which shows the kind of development the manager can oversee.
Dibling’s form at youth level, with 19 goals and 11 assists in 59 academy matches for Southampton, suggests that the potential is there for him to develop into a regular contributor in the final third at first-team level, like Gordon.
As you can see in the clips above, from a clash with Newcastle’s U21 side in 2022, he has the technical ability to produce Ben Arfa-esque moments driving forward with his left foot to score impressive goals.
Despite his age, inexperience, and the six-point team he is playing in, Dibling has showcased glimpses of his talent at Premier League level so far this season.
Appearances
19
Starts
13
Goals
2
Big chances created
2
Successful dribbles
27
As you can see in the table above, the English whiz, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed is “balling out”, has contributed completed more than two dribbles per start on average, and scored twice.
Howe could bring the left-footed star, who has predominantly been deployed on the right flank but can also play centrally, to St. James’ Park with a view to helping him take the next step in his career, as he did with Gordon, to turn Dibling into Ben Arfa 2.0 for the Magpies.
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