Once the most valuable midfielder in the world in 2018, Dele Alli falling from stardom leaves fans with questions to be answered. It feels like the former wonderboy of English football has been playing for a decade and should be in his prime. Yet, at only 26 years old, he struggles to find a spot in European football’s grandest stages.
“Banished” from Besiktas Squad
Sources, including The Mirror, reported yesterday that Dele Alli had been removed from the Turkish side Besiktas for the rest of the season. The Englishman appeared in 13 of the total 21 possible games this season for the club and scored two goals.&nbsp;
Dele was loaned to Besiktas from Everton, hoping to return to the form he once was. But after Senol Gunes was appointed head coach in October, things turned sour for the former Tottenham star, starting in only four games and leaving no decent remarks.
“Dele Alli has had a good career. But he doesn’t deserve to play at the moment. The current situation has not met our expectations as a team.”
Senol Gunes reflected on the decision to leave him out of the roster
He will likely be sent back to Goodison Park when the season concludes. With a year of the contract remaining, Dele Alli will have to fight for a spot in Sean Dyche’s team, which is notorious for his old-fashioned playstyle and doesn’t help attacking players shine. He was disappointing under Frank Lampard, scoring zero goals in 13 appearances last season. There is no good sign of him reviving his career in Merseyside.
Dele Alli – the once Wonderkid
Dele Alli broke onto the scenes of English football at only 16 years old, playing in the jersey of his hometown club MK Dons. His unique playstyle earned him offers from top Premier League sides, and he eventually chose Tottenham Hotspurs as his destination. And in his first couple of seasons, he was the brightest star at Tottenham and England.
Mauricio Pochettino ascended Dele Alli to stardom, making him the focal point of his attacking scheme. His run-in-behinds were phenomenal, alongside his great finishing skill at a young age. His top form earned him a national team call-up in his debut season, and he even grabbed himself a goal in his Three Lions debut. Dele Alli then won back-to-back PFA Young Player of the year and Premier League Team of the Season. In 2018, Transfermarkt even listed him at 100 million Euros in value, dubbing him the most expensive midfielder.&nbsp;
Dele was also a perennial national team member, appearing for England in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. But that was the pinnacle of his career.
The Downfall of Dele Alli
Dele Alli’s sudden drop in form in the 2018/2019 season baffled all the fans and media. Some blamed his hamstring injury for the decline. He suffered four serious hamstring injuries in roughly a year which sidelined him for a considerable amount of time, 23 games to be exact. But he also had his moment of genius when he delivered a beautiful pass for Lucas Moura to end Ajax Amsterdam’s cinderella run and send Spurs to the Champions League finals.
His actual downfall came when Jose Mourinho took over Mauricio Pochettino‘s seat as head coach. Dele couldn’t get along with The Special One’s tactics, and his behavior also deteriorated his play. Also, players that helped elevate his playstyles, like Kyle Walker and Christian Eriksen, left, hurting his production even more. Tottenham turned to the Harry Kane and Son Heung-min duo with his underwhelming form and sent him to the bench.&nbsp;
And when Tottenham could no longer find value in him, they shipped him to Everton, hoping to get some profit.
Conclusion
We all know how Jude Bellingham is the face of the England midfield now. Dele Alli was Jude Bellingham before Jude Bellingham. He was phenomenal in his prime, which is sad to hear that it was when he was 20 years old. Now, at 26 years old, when most players enter their most productive era, the English star struggles to prove himself. We hope that Dele Alli can find his passion and identity again in the upcoming years and return to the once-electrifying player he was.&nbsp;
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