Everton should reignite Dele Alli pursuit in January as midfielder is free to leave Tottenham Hotspur
Everton should consider going back in for Dele Alli in January after it was revealed that the midfielder is free to leave Tottenham Hotspur.
The Athletic have claimed today (13 December) that Alli is unlikely to be in Antonio Conte’s plans so an exit is on the cards next month.
The report suggests that a loan move is the most likely scenario as potential suitors will be reluctant to pay as high a transfer fee as Tottenham would want.
In many ways, it would be the perfect deal for Everton to do next month.
The Toffees have previously been linked with a move for the midfielder [The Mirror], but a transfer never materialised.
While Alli’s career has gone severely downhill in the last couple of years, he still undoubtedly has something to offer a team if given a run of games.
Following the sacking of Jose Mourinho last season, Ryan Mason brought the 25-year-old back into the fold and described him as “excellent” after a 2-0 win over Wolves.
Everton have not replaced James Rodriguez since the Colombian’s departure in the summer and as a result there is a lack of creativity in midfield.
Abdoulaye Doucoure likes to get forward and make an impact in the final third, but Rafa Benitez prefers to play the Frenchman in a deeper role.
Alli would slot right into the number 10 position in Everton’s midfield and offer them something different in attack.
He will feel as if he has a big point to prove and may even see it as a chance to force himself back into the thoughts of England manager Gareth Southgate.
A loan deal suits the Toffees well too, as their spending will be restricted in January by Financial Fair Play regulations.
With Alli’s transfer status now public knowledge, Benitez needs to move quickly to sign the 25-year-old.
In other Everton news, Graeme Souness slammed Rafa Benitez’s tactics in Sunday’s defeat to Crystal Palace.
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