Dele Alli’s departure a painful one for Tottenham – and chances of Everton joy are 50-50

Frank Lampard unveiled at Everton

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For Tottenham supporters, the departure of Dele Alli on transfer deadline day was the one which really hurt. While there was anger towards Tanguy Ndombele’s wasted talent and frustration over Giovani Lo Celso’s lack of impact, the news that the former darling of White Hart Lane had joined Everton has provoked only sadness and a sense of what could have been.

It would have been easy to forget just how good Dele was in his peak years were it not for the endless highlight reels and montages doing the round on Sky Sports News and social media in the wake of the 25-year-old’s transfer to the Toffees.

But the fact remains that he really was at one stage one of the most exciting young midfielders in world football – and that is what makes his decline all the more difficult to stomach for the Spurs faithful.

From the Paul Gascoigne-esque swivel and volley against Crystal Palace, to the two poacher’s strikes against Real Madrid, to the six goals against Chelsea, to the delicious lob against Arsenal, everybody will have their own particular Dele memory to treasure.

And hopefully that is how he will be remembered in north London, rather than the insipid, uninspired version of the player we have seen over the last few years.

Dele’s baffling fading powers just make his switch to Merseyside all the more intriguing as we are left to discover whether he is the problem or whether it is the chaotic environment at Spurs that has stunted his development.

Indeed, we saw with Jesse Lingard last season just how beneficial a change of scene can be for a talented but frustrated English midfielder, and there are a number of reasons to feel optimistic that Goodison Park could be the perfect place for Dele to rediscover his old magic.

The main one is working under Frank Lampard. While he may lack the tactical acumen of some of his peers, Lampard has regularly been praised for his man-management skills, and has made no secret of his admiration for Dele.

The feeling certainly appears to be mutual, and the pair could be perfect for each other as they look to revive their respective careers in the north west.

Nevertheless, there is also plenty of risk attached to the move from Dele’s perspective. Everton has not exactly been a place where players have flourished in recent years, and if the Lampard appointment backfires it could all go rather toxic very, very soon.

If this move fails, it is hard to see where Dele could go next, and it is unlikely that any other Premier League side would take the risk on a man who has not played at his best since around 2019.

Whatever the case, it will certainly make for intriguing viewing, and it would take the most cold-hearted onlooker to begrudge the former England international any success which may come his way.

For now, though, Spurs fans in particular will simply wallow in the nostalgia of Dele at his best in the seven-and-a-half years he was at the club.

He was a player who caused a spark whenever he received the ball, and the abiding memory will be the rattling of seats snapping back whenever he picked up possession in a dangerous area on the famous turf of the old White Hart Lane stadium

Here’s hoping for similar at Goodison Park in the not-too-distant future. 

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