Newport County Sign Matt Dibley-Dias on Loan from Fulham
Newport County have signed Fulham midfielder Matt Dibley-Dias on a short-term loan, the club's 11th addition of a busy summer window (BBC Sport).
The 22-year-old New Zealand-born midfielder arrives at Rodney Parade with a familiar face in the dugout. Newport head coach Hayden Mullins previously managed Fulham's under-21 side — the reserve team where young prospects develop before pushing for the first team — and Dibley-Dias made 31 appearances across two seasons under his guidance (BBC Sport).
That existing relationship could matter. A player joining a new club usually needs weeks to learn a manager's demands; Dibley-Dias already knows what Mullins wants from him.
Dibley-Dias joined Fulham's academy at 14, arriving from Brentford in 2016 (Fulham FC). He signed his first professional contract in 2021 and was named Johnny Haynes Academy Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season — an award given to Fulham's standout young talent. He was part of the squad that won the Premier League Cup in 2023-24, a competition for under-21 sides across the top flight, and was included in Fulham's first-team matchday squad on four occasions (BBC Sport).
First-team minutes at Craven Cottage, though, have proved hard to come by. Last season Dibley-Dias went out on loan to build experience: he played five times for Chesterfield in League Two, then made eight appearances for National League side Braintree Town, where he chipped in with one assist. He also had a separate loan spell at Northampton Town during the 2024-25 campaign (BBC Sport).
Newport have been reshaping their midfield all summer. Harrison Biggins and Kieron Evans both arrived before Dibley-Dias, and Fulham defender Devan Tanton also joined on loan (BBC Sport; Newport County FC). Eleven signings in one window is a serious rebuild for a League Two club.
Dibley-Dias could make his debut against Tranmere Rovers at Rodney Parade on Saturday, 15:00 BST (BBC Sport). For a player who has spent the last two seasons hopping between loans, a fresh start under a manager who already rates him is a genuine opportunity.
