Daniel Feliciano

Tue 10 January 2023 12:40, UK

Dele Alli is unlikely to return to Everton in the January transfer window, despite Besiktas wanting to terminate his loan deal early say Sky Sports.

The Toffees brought Dele in on a free transfer that could rise to up to £40m from Tottenham in January 2022, but he barely featured under Frank Lampard before being passed on to Turkey on a loan deal.

The former England international has managed just one goal in seven appearances in Istanbul though, and with Valerien Ismael since sacked they have looked to terminate his loan to send him back to Merseyside.

But despite their wishes it’s unlikely to happen after Sky Sports reported that Everton will demand full payment for the loan despite it ending early.

“However, there is no early break clause in the deal and Everton will want full payment of the loan fee – thought to be around £1m – as well as the agreed amount of contribution of the player’s wages,” they wrote (9 January).

“Because of that, it is highly unlikely the 26-year-old former Tottenham player will return to England during the January transfer window.”

Disaster

It has been an absolute disaster from start to finish for Dele Alli and Everton, but Besiktas are going to have to just hold on to that flop of a deal for themselves.

The whole reason we let Dele leave in the first place is because he isn’t part of Lampard’s plans, and after his performances – or lack of – while in Turkey it would be near impossible to move him on again.

Besiktas made a commitment to take him for the season and pay his wages in their entirety, so why should we be punished because they don’t want him any more?

With no recall clause or termination clause we have no obligation to do anything about his lack of form or playing time, and it’s a problem we can ignore until the summer when he returns with a year left on his deal.

For now though, we can watch from a distance as he tries to get his career back on track in Istanbul once again in the second half of the season.