Everton midfielder Dele Alli is back to training in football drills after a long injury and a setback kept him away from action for months.
Since moving to Goodison Park in 2022, the midfielder has failed to find a place. Alli spent a season on loan in Turkey with Besiktas where his woes continued. He later revealed in an interview with Gary Neville that his mental health hit an all time low which affected his life and his career.
He is now back on his feet literally and figuratively as his manager, Sean Dyche, has alluded to. The former Tottenham Hotspur man is ready to return to footballing action and help Dyche take Everton back into relevancy in the Premier League.
In the meantime, Alli, who is training with the ball and is expected to return to team drills later in December, has assumed the role of a makeshift coach.
Dyche stated that the 27-year-old gives regular and useful insights into the team’s methods quite often. The former Burnley manager also stated that Alli enjoys being able to do this and that it is opening him some more to the team.
“He had a lot going on. Once that came out, it has allowed him the chance to focus on his football and he has been very involved in terms of absorbing,” Dyche said. “He can’t get out on the grass with us yet but he is looking at it and he is absorbing what the input from myself and the staff has been.”
“He is clear-minded now. It was very difficult what he was going through, of course. We know that. But he is very willing to share, give an opinion.”
Dyche also stated that Alli, who has made 13 appearances for the club, reminisces how the culture at the club reminds him of his time at Spurs.
The North London club, meanwhile, are looking to get £8 million from the Toffees for Alli.
Both teams had a contract that stated that the purchasing team (Everton) will pay £10 million to the selling team (Spurs) if Alli makes 20 appearances in all competitions. However, with that number looking less likely to happen sooner than later, Spurs are hoping to reduce the number of appearances for an £8 million payout.
Everton have rejected the proposal but reports say they are in talks over some other clauses included in Alli’s transfer deal.
The player is unlikely to be affected by all these but nobody can rule out a transfer away from Goodison Park if both clubs fail to find an agreement.
In the meantime, he is working towards his return to the pitch and Dyche is looking forward to adding him to their charge in January.
