'I want to help' – Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino plans to call ex-Spurs star

New Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino plans to contact Dele Alli and says he ‘wants to help’ his former Tottenham player as his career stagnates.

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Alli spent the majority of his Spurs career playing under Pochettino, who began his role as Chelsea manager last week.

While he developed into one of the most exciting young players in Europe at Tottenham and a regular for England, Alli’s career is now firmly on the decline.

He fell out of favour under Pochettino’s Spurs replacement Jose Mourinho and his struggles continued during Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte’s stints in north London.

Alli hoped a move to Everton in January 2022 would revive his career but he failed to score or assist in 13 games for the Toffees before being sent on loan to Besiktas last season.

The Turkish club had the option to sign Alli permanently this summer but they turned it down after the 27-year-old was not selected for any games after February 26.

Now back on Merseyside, Alli faces an uncertain future with Everton boss Sean Dyche holding reservations about incorporating the attacking midfielder into his squad at Goodison Park.

Pochettino, who agreed to join Chelsea in May, intends to contact Alli in the coming weeks as he wants to know ‘what is going on’ with his former player.

‘I hope to have some time to call and see how he is because he is a great guy and I want to talk a little bit with him and hear,’ Pochettino said.

‘I want to help him and see what is going on with him. He is still young. And for sure he has the mentality.

‘Now it’s a long time since I spoke to him but I want to contact him again and see what is going on.’

Pochettino, who has managed Paris Saint-Germain and Southampton as well as Tottenham, takes over a Chelsea side that finished just 12th in the Premier League last season.

Speaking at his first press conference at Stamford Bridge, Pochettino said he is ‘not giving players the opportunity to waste time’ as he aims to take the Blues up the table.

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‘In football there is no patience,’ the 51-year-old said. ‘You can’t ask for time at a club like Chelsea, you must deliver from day one.

‘I’m not giving players the opportunity to waste time. We need to give our best from the start. We are going to have a squad that can deliver.’

Chelsea, who finished closer to the relegation zone than the Champions League places last term, kick-start their 2023-24 campaign on August 13 against Liverpool.

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