Dele Alli can still turn around his career and get back to his best, provided he is willing to make some sacrifices, according to Tim Sherwood.
Alli is facing a hugely important summer in his career after returning to Everton from a disappointing loan spell at Besiktas. The 27-year-old midfielder was accused by his Besiktas boss of going AWOL, but insisted his return to England was to deal with an ongoing injury problem.
In April he made headlines after being pictured with a balloon in his mouth while appearing to be surrounded by canisters of laughing gas. After starring for Tottenham following a £5million move from MK Dons and regularly turning out for England, he has faded from view in the past few years.
Alli contributed 67 goals and 61 assists in 269 appearances for Spurs between 2015 and 2022. His best form came under the management of Mauricio Pochettino, but former Tottenham boss Sherwood says Alli needs to look to himself to make a comeback.
“I think Dele could still turn it around, I don’t think he’s done. He’s still young enough, but he needs someone to talk to and someone needs to talk some sense into him. He hasn’t turned into a bad player overnight, but he’s certainly lost his way,” Sherwood said on William Hill podcast Up Front with Simon Jordan.
“Now he needs to realise that he needs to adapt and find a way. He needs to look at himself and say ‘I can still turn this around’, don’t blame anyone else and look at himself and realise that he’s still young enough.
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“I’d love to see him turn it around because he’d get a lot of credit for that. As much as he feels like everyone is against him now, I think everyone would admire his determination to turn it round.
“Dele hit the floor running after he was brought in from MK Dons. He had a manager who wanted to work with him and improve him and he bought into the playing style.
“He’s not a number 10 in the way that Dennis Bergkamp or Gianfranco Zola were, he’s more of a Frank Lampard who bursts and arrives in the box and scores goals, and the team played to those strengths.
“I don’t think it’s a case of him needing to find the right club to fit him. I think he really needs to decide in his own mind that he needs to shape himself to be the right person to fit a football club and not just wait for it to happen, because it won’t. I think he’s either not listening or he’s not getting the advice.”
Alli has made just 11 appearances for Everton since leaving Tottenham in January 2022 in a deal which handed him nearly £100,000 per week and could reach £40m depending on performance-related clauses.
Everton boss Sean Dyche has hinted that he could have a future at the club once he is back to full fitness.
