Ally McCoist insists he'd take Dele Alli at Rangers "all day" - but concedes a move to Ibrox or Celtic for the out-of-sorts Everton star wouldn't be for everyone.
Alli has suffered a baffling career drop-off since bursting onto the scene for Tottenham and then starring for England in the 2018 World Cup. The 26-year-old completed a permanent move to Goodison Park back in January in a bid to rediscover his best form but he's been a peripheral figure on Merseyside. Reports in recent days have indicated Turkish side Besiktas are interested in offering him a way out, while there's also been speculation he could move to MLS. McCoist, however, reckons he should still have more to offer.
The prospect of a move to one of Glasgow's big two was put to the Rangers legend and he reckons it'd be an option worth exploring for both clubs. He told talkSPORT: "I'd take him all day. He's completely lost his way and it's not easy - you look at the players who have come to Rangers beforehand, and I'm not saying they've struggled, but they haven't been as much of a success as a lot of people have thought.
"Rangers and Celtic is a difficult place to place. But if you do play there... boy, it's a fantastic place to play. I'm really sad about Dele Alli and the Turkish league, he just looks lost. He's not to go and, not so much feel loved, but feel comfortable in your own skin and go and enjoy yourself. It's a sad story, it really is."
The radio show then took a call from Celtic supporter Dan, who told McCoist that Alli had done nothing to deserve a move to clubs with the stature of Celtic and Rangers.
And McCoist replied: "I take the point, totally. The only way I'm thinking is if maybe he'd be prepared to come on a pay as you play. The problem is, these guys are so much money now and understandably they don't want to take a drop. All I'm thinking is that he's now probably drinking in the last chance saloon. If he goes to Turkey man, I just can't get it."
Co-pundit Gabby Agbonlahor also reckons the deal would be a non-starter, suggesting Ibrox and Celtic Park shouldn't be viewed as a place for toiling Premier League stars to revive their careers. The former Aston Villa striker said: "I don't think it's fair Rangers or Celtic say 'okay come to us' if it's not working out in the Prem."
And McCoist replied: "I don't mean that all. But I don't think we can argue - we haven't seen it in the last couple of years - but there is an outstanding talent in Dele Alli. If it suited Rangers or Celtic in a pay as you play or something like that the deal that he wanted to come and prove himself I think there'd maybe be an offer."
