MY ACCOUNT
Dele Alli’s fall from grace at Tottenham has been stark.
The midfielder was regarded as one of Europe’s most exciting talents after setting the Premier League alight when he burst onto the scene aged 19.
But six years and four managers later, his future at Spurs looks bleak, with a potential loan to Newcastle looking like the best chance to reignite his stagnating career.
Still only 25, Alli has time on his side to fulfill his early promise — though that will more than likely have to be done away from North London.
We take a closer look at what is next for the 37-cap England international.
Spurs stagnation
Alli’s time looked to be up at Spurs when Antonio Conte became the latest manager to snub the midfielder, much like Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho before him.
But a return to the starting XI against Liverpool in December, as Spurs struggled with a coronavirus outbreak, appeared to hand the player a lifeline.
After an encouraging performance in the 2-2 draw, Conte said: “He played a good game. With this formation, with three midfielders, he can play as a midfielder and I think he’s strong physically.
“I think he could have scored but the performance was good. It’s important to understand the players I can count on now for the future.”
But the midfielder failed to build on that showing and soon found himself out of the team again when other stars returned.
A last-gasp victory over Watford on New Year’s Day — where Alli was left on the bench despite Spurs struggling to break down the relegation-threatened side for much of the game — was a telling sign Conte had made up his mind.
And a few weeks on, Alli was not even named in the matchday squad for the 2-0 defeat against Chelsea.
Fall from grace
It is a far cry from the early days of Alli’s career, where the former MK Dons man’s rapid rise was compared to that of England stars Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.
After 100 Premier League games, Alli’s record of 61 goal contributions (36 goals and 25 assists) dwarfed that of both those icons at that stage of their careers.
Gerrard had 24 to his name (11 goals and 13 assists) when he reached a century of top-flight appearances, while Lampard stood on 18 (12 goals and six assists) — leading many to rightfully tip the youngster for the very top.
But Alli’s effectiveness began to dwindle in the coming years as his role in the Spurs team changed under different managers. His confidence now looks to be on the floor.
That is always going to have an effect on the playmaker who was often at his best when playing by instinct.
It is now over two years since his last England cap and with a World Cup just around the corner, a January loan move is surely Alli’s best chance to revive his hopes for a recall.
Ready for Eddie
That chance could come in the form of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle, who are trying to kickstart their new era under Saudi ownership with a host of signings.
With the Magpies linked with several stars across Europe, a fresh start on Tyneside would surely be an attractive proposition despite their relegation concerns.
After failing in their attempts to sign Jesse Lingard, who showed a loan can be a way to revive a career while at West Ham last season, a move for Alli could serve both the player and club’s interests.
Alli rose to stardom playing an advanced role under Mauricio Pochettino, allowing him to get among the goals while tucked in just behind Harry Kane.
That is no longer the case at Spurs but at Newcastle — where he would be one of the most talented attacking players — he may return to a similarly pivotal role in attack.
If he did make the move, it would see him finally switch to a club he nearly joined from MK Dons as a teenager.
Opening up in 2020 on the Magpies’ previous interest, Alli revealed: “Liverpool were [interested] at the time, but I don’t know how serious they were, but I remember Newcastle was quite a big one.
“In the end, the deal didn’t go through. That was a bit before Tottenham.
“When you’re still young, it’s hard to see the bigger picture and when it happened, at first I was sort of really angry. It felt like people were stopping me from leaving. But I know that wasn’t the case.”
Last chance
There now appears to be another offer with the Geordies if he wants it, though little movement on the deal over the past days would suggest Alli is not completely sold on heading for a relegation dogfight.
Elsewhere, reported interest from other Premier League sides Brighton, Everton and Burnley as well as a Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain shows he still has plenty of credit in the bank.
But football can move on quickly and Alli should act now in order to avoid becoming the forgotten man.
