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7 months ago
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Dele Alli in the Paris Saint-Germain jersey. Here is an image that we could have seen three years ago. Less used by José Mourinho at Tottenham, the Englishman was the priority of the capital club, which had been following him for a while, and of its new coach Mauricio Pochettino. A coach who perfectly knew how to exploit the potential and qualities of the midfielder when he officiated at Spurs. The Argentinian therefore announced his name once the transfer window came. But ultimately, the Milton Keynes native stayed in London, where he finished the season as best he could before joining Everton in January 2022. There, he played 11 matches in all competitions during his first six months.
The following season he spent even less time on the pitch with the Toffees. Indeed, he only played 2 matches before joining Besiktas on loan. The idea was for him to get back on track and regain playing time and confidence. But his adventure in Türkiye was not exactly a cakewalk. After only two games played, the player, who was not spared from injuries, suffered a thigh injury. He spent 18 days in the infirmary and missed 3 matches. Back on the field, he alternated between starts and appearances. In the end, he scored 3 goals in 15 matches in all competitions. The last date was February 26, 2023. That day, he played 45 minutes against Antalyaspor. Then, nothing more.
A year without playing
His performances and his behavior, considered inadequate, pushed the Turks to the limit. His coach at the time, Senol Günes, did not mince his words regarding him: “let’s not talk about Dele Alli as a player, he is below expectations in terms of efficiency. We haven’t managed to get the best out of Dele Alli yet. (…) Dele Alli’s current status in the team does not meet our expectations. He doesn’t deserve to play.” He hasn’t played for almost a year now. In the meantime, the England international (37 caps, 3 goals), who particularly stood out after inhaling laughing gas with a balloon, gave a strong testimony during the show The Overlap by Gary Neville on Sky Sports. The former player opened up about his addictions.
“When I came to Turkey, I found out that I needed an operation. I was mentally in bad shape. I decided to go to a modern rehab center for mental health, addiction and trauma. I felt it was time for me. With things like this, you can’t be told to go for it. I made the decision to go there. I was stuck in a bad cycle, relying on things that hurt me. I woke up every day and I was winning the fight, I was training, I was smiling, I was showing that I was happy but inside I was definitely losing the battle and it was definitely time to change that.”
Indelible scars
The player, who admitted to having thought about ending his career, also spoke of a personal tragedy. “At six years old, I was attacked. I was sent to Africa to learn discipline. Then I was sent home. At seven I started smoking, at eight I started selling drugs. An elderly person told me they wouldn’t arrest a child, so I was walking around with my soccer ball and drugs. When I was eleven, a guy hung me from a bridge in the neighboring housing estate, and when I was 12, I was adopted by a wonderful family… If God made people, they did. They are amazing and have helped me a lot.” A painful ordeal for the Englishman, who is trying to move forward in his life as a man and a footballer with the support of Everton.
Back with the Liverpool Blues since last summer, he has been working in the shadows to get back on the pitch, having injured his thigh during the pre-season. A new blow for Dele Alli, who many would like to see again at the highest level. This is the case of The Athleticwho always “the feeling that there remains at least one last chapter to write in its (football) history.” For the moment, chapter 2023-24 looks like a blank page with 0 matches on the clock. The Englishman is doing his best to come back, he who notably published a message last November while he was training with trainers both physically and mentally. “It’s not over until I win”. Strong words from the community, ready to not give up.
A future to settle
But he relapsed shortly after. Which had also taken a toll on his morale since it had required a surgical operation. Asked about him, Sean Dyche, who maintains very good relations with the footballer, asked for patience while indicating that he was a little better. The Athletic also specifies that Dele Alli has returned to the training center in order to speed up his rehabilitation. He is expected to return to racing soon and a return before the end of the season is not ruled out. However, the Toffees will be very careful with him in order to avoid a relapse. But another very important factor comes into play. It is an agreement made between Tottenham and Everton at the time of his departure.
This stipulated that the Toffees had to pay a bonus of £10 million, or approximately €11.7 million, when Dele Alli had played 20 matches. So far, he has participated in 13 matches. For some, this would push Everton not to accelerate their return so as not to have to pay this bonus. The Blues would also have to pay a new bonus to Spurs if the midfielder were to extend his contract. The current lease ends on June 30. According to The Athletic, Everton are ready to offer him a new contract. For his part, the player wants to stay in the Premier League. Few clubs seem ready to welcome him, apart from his current team. After many struggles, Dele Alli (27 years old) sees a little light, he who has been weaned from football for almost a year now.
