The talks with Tottenham Hotspur are part of a long-running conversation between the clubs about the terms of the original deal that saw Dele Alli join Everton. Everton are in negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur about Dele Alli’s future, as the Blues continue to help him recover from injury. The 28-year-old is exercising at Finch Farm after Everton offered him aid in recovering from a groin injury that kept him out last season.
While he is no longer under contract, the terms of the transfer that brought him to Merseyside from Tottenham would complicate any attempt by the Blues to sign him to a new contract. The ECHO understands Everton is in negotiations with Spurs about renegotiating the original conditions of the agreement. If the club is successful, Dele may be given a chance to show himself during the preseason.
The negotiations are the latest in a long-running debate between the teams regarding the player. Last season, as he appeared to be on the verge of returning from surgery last summer, there were discussions regarding the terms of his January 2022 transfer, which rendered measures to aid Dele’s rehabilitation prohibitively expensive due to the incentives that would have been due if he had met performance goals.
While no breakthrough was made, they were rendered unnecessary when the England international suffered an unpleasant setback in training due to a groin injury, which prevented him from playing last season. After reaching a return at the end of last season, he has spent this summer working hard, attending close-season training camps in Portugal and London before coming to Finch Farm on Monday for the first day of Everton’s pre-season, as he accepted the club’s offer of assistance in his recuperation. Whether that connection will develop further currently appears to be contingent on the talks between the Blues and Spurs, which might, if successful, provide Dele the opportunity to make a case for a new agreement this summer.
While he is yet to make an appearance under Sean Dyche, Dele formed a strong bond with the Everton manager last season. Dyche has spoken about Dele’s football IQ and how he uses it to communicate with his players. Reflecting on this last November, he said: “You forget that he has been through some really major things in football. He has played in the Champions League final and the World Cup semi-final. He’s had some incredible experiences.
“People sometimes lose sight of that. I’m not accusing anyone of anything; that’s just how things are. He’s worked with some extremely successful managers that have unique styles of play. Why wouldn’t I say, “Dele, what are your thoughts?” “I trust these players.”
