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Dele Alli may look to have suffered another setback at new club Como 1907, but all hope is not yet lost.
After joining the Serie A side in January in a bid to revive his career, the former Tottenham star was dealt a blow when head coach Cesc Fabregas revealed his debut may have to wait until next season.
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Alli signed an 18-month contract with the Italian outfit to bring to an end a six-month spell without a club following the expiration of his Everton contract last June.
His last appearance on the pitch came in February 2023 while on loan at Turkish side Besiktas, with a series of fitness issues and mental struggles keeping him away from the pitch since then.
And while the Englishman was expected to make a swift return with his new club, Fabregas has admitted this may not come so soon.
Speaking earlier this month, the Spaniard said of Alli: "He's working off the pitch at the moment. I don't want to put extra pressure on him, he hasn't played for months.
"From tomorrow [Monday] he will be at full capacity with the group, after the personalised work of the last few weeks.
"He needs time, I spoke to him and I was clear with him: we are here to help him. We believe we can do it. We need patience to see him back on the pitch: please, let's stay calm.
"The last few months will be used to get back in shape for next season."
This appeared to be the latest in a long line of setbacks for Alli, who has previously opened up on the mental health struggles and childhood trauma which halted his progress after establishing himself as one of football's brightest young talents with Spurs.
Despite a potential delay to his return date however, Italian football expert Daniele Fisichella is confident that Como remains the best place for Alli to rediscover top form.
After winning promotion back to Serie A for the first time in 21 years last season, the Lake Como side currently sit 13th in the league table.
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Appearing on talkSPORT's Hawksbee and Brooker, Fisichella said of Alli: “He's been training with Como since the end of December.
"He joined a training camp when he went to Portugal during the mini winter break. So he's fully part of the squad. They've offered him a contract until the end of the season.
"And one thing that Como can have at the moment is patience, because they're doing very well in Serie A.
“They just beat the leaders, Napoli, at the weekend 2-1, playing well, so they are not really relegation threatened. They're probably going to stay."
With Como climbing to Serie A from Serie C in just five years after their purchase by SENT Entertainment- backed by the wealthy Hartono brothers and Djarum Foundation, Fisichella admitted that Como can afford to ease Alli back into football.
The journalist continued: “They can afford to have players like Dele Alli just training and perhaps not playing until the end of the season.
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“But the idea is, of course, to give him time. And probably [this] looks like the perfect environment for him to get back to his best."
Fisichella also tipped Alli to make his Como debut before the end of the season, and suggested former Arsenal and Chelsea star Fabregas will make an ideal mentor for the 37-cap England international.
He added: “Cesc Fabregas has been lauded these days for the way he's got his team playing and for also the preparation and the managerial skills that he has demonstrated in his year and a half he's been in Italy.
“So there is no doubt about it, as an environment, it's probably one of the best for Dele Alli. Como is a team that likes to play football, to play on the front foot. So obviously having a player like Dele Alli, if he can get back to his best, will definitely be a blessing for him.
“I would expect if he continues to train and he shows good improvements, there will probably be a few cameos towards the end of the season. As said, Como are not in danger of going down.
“It could be the perfect platform for him to show what he's capable of doing.”
