Everton loanee Dele Alli played key role in Nathan Redmond Besiktas move
Everton loanee Dele Alli was instrumental in getting Southampton’s winger Nathan Redmond to join Besiktas, according to Gokmen Ozcan.
The England international left Goodison Park in a loan-to-buy agreement as the transfer window neared its conclusion in the United Kingdom and has already scored for the Turkish side in their domestic league.
But the Turkish window remained open for another week and closes on Thursday (8 September) and Valerien Ismael has made use of that time to bring another Premier League talent to the Vodafone Park Arena.
Redmond had fallen out of favour at St Mary’s with Ralph Hasenhuttl moving away from having out-and-out wingers like him for more creative attacking midfielders so the Turks were only too happy to make the move as the hours ticked down.
“Dele Alli became one of the names that took an active role in Beşiktaş’s transfer of Nathan Redmond and accelerated the process,” Ozcan reported via his personal Twitter account.
Relief
Frank Lampard must be thanking his lucky stars that Alli has moved on because the last thing he would want is another ageing winger to add to his problems at Goodison Park.
Redmond might have been good several years ago when he was emerging at Birmingham City but he has fallen off a cliff since then and never got close to reaching his potential.
Alli has gone from playing with Anthony Gordon, one of the country’s hottest prospects, to a washed individual who can barely last a full 90 minutes without getting injured.
The 26-year-old’s exit from Everton has to be the start of a good clearout of players who just don’t cut the mustard in the top flight anymore over the next couple of windows.
Mason Holgate, Seamus Coleman, Salomon Rondon, Andros Townsend and Asmir Begovic can all consider themselves on that list and there could be many more Lampard decides to move on if he gets the chance to do so.