On Christmas Day five years ago, Dele Alli appeared to have the world at his feet.
The 26-year-old had not only established himself as a Premier League player after making the jump from League One outfit MK Dons back in 2015, but he had managed to cement his burgeoning reputation as one of Europe's top prospects during the 2016/17 campaign which would see him go on to plunder 22 goals in all competitions for Tottenham.
12 months later, Alli was even on the scoresheet for England in the quarter-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Speculation was rife that one of Europe's elite footballing establishments would swoop for the attacking midfielder's services.
