Dele Alli catch-22 emerges at Everton in brand new transfer update

Everton are open to offering Dele Alli a contract at Goodison Park despite a new "Catch-22" emerging, according to the Daily Mail.

The newspaper has reported on its website that the midfielder must prove his fitness to Sean Dyche, but that is hard to do so while not registered.

Alli cannot prove himself with the under-21s while not signed, with behind-closed-doors friendlies a potential option to do just that.

Dele Alli transfer twist emerges at Everton

While everyone in football would love to see Alli return to the top of his game, this decision cannot be made without proof that can happen.

After missing the entirety of last season through injury, things don't look amazing on that front.

A deal is said to be agreed in principle already for when he does return to fitness [Alan Myers, 5 October], but it is hard to see how he proves that right now.

Training matches were being arranged recently, but had to be scrapped after another injury setback at Finch Farm recently [Paul Joyce, 3 October].

Things never seem to come together when it is needed most for Alli, with injury setbacks and ineligibility issues popping up when light starts to appear at the end of the tunnel.

There looks to be no immediate end to this saga as things stand and with a takeover burning in the background, it may be that everyone has to eventually move on.

In other Everton news, King has called for Jordan Pickford to be dropped by England after his recent performance.

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