You probably know the story by now. Newcastle United were so close to signing Dele Alli in January, 2015 that the club's media team were even preparing a press release to announce his arrival before Spurs nipped in and landed the wonderkid from MK Dons.
Fast forward seven years and the Magpies, at the very least, did consider a loan move for Dele after a move for Jesse Lingard did not come off. The usually guarded Eddie Howe, himself, acknowledged that there were 'a host of things that could have maybe dropped in a different way' before admitting that Dele was a 'top' player he had 'admired' for years.
You can see why. Sometimes, it is easy to forget that this gifted footballer was among an elite group of players who retained the PFA Young Player of the Year award - only Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Robbie Fowler had previously done that - and Dele was once rated among the very best number tens in the business when he had the eye of the tiger under Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs.
READ MORE: Newcastle are about to see the real version of 'fantastic talent' after 'new plans for the club'
Given how Howe has helped unlock a number of players he inherited at Newcastle, including Joelinton and Miguel Almiron, the Magpies boss may have just been the manager Dele needed. Instead, a subsequent move to Everton on deadline day just did not work out and the former England international has not fared much better since joining Besitkas on loan back in August.
In fact, Besitkas manager Senol Gunes previously said that Dele had been performing 'below expectations' and sporting director Ceyhun Kazanci admitted this week that he could only 'hope' the 26-year-old will be 'better in the second half of the season'.
“No one can answer whether Dele Alli can do it right now,” Kazanci told TRT Spor. “He is working very hard. He is a player who reached €100million three years ago. He had a fall.”
READ NEXT
Emotional Newcastle return planned as uncomfortable truth told
Furious Newcastle training row led to star walking out after 'bad industrial language' used
James Maddison's words to Harry Kane as good as hint at the transfer profile Newcastle want
Newcastle's 'bright and aggressive' FFP move may save millions as Leeds United and Man City know
Newcastle owners are about to see something special as 'extremely busy' stadium message sent
