Everton are in talks with Tottenham to bring midfielder Dele Alli to Goodison Park on deadline day.
The Toffees have just appointed Frank Lampard as their new manager, following the sacking of Rafael Benitez earlier this month, and are keen to further their recruitments by adding players on the field.
Alli has fallen out of favour in north London, and not just under Antonio Conte, with the 25-year-old struggling to cement a starting spot under Nuno Espirito Santo before his dismissal in October.
And according to Sky Sports , Everton and Spurs chiefs are in talks about bringing Alli to Goodison Park.
Discussions are at an early stage, with a long way to go, but the deal would have to be a permanent one if Donny van de Beek is to arrive on loan from Manchester United.
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Under the current rules, clubs are only allowed to bring in two domestic loans from Premier League clubs during the transfer window.
Anwar El Ghazi has already arrived from Aston Villa following Lucas Digne’s permanent transfer in the other direction, while Donny van de Beek is expected to arrive on a deal until the end of the season from Man Utd.
Therefore, despite Spurs willing to loan out Alli, Everton will have to strike up a permanent deal for him should they wish to sign him before the deadline.
As things stand, talks are ongoing with Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici, although Alli has also attracted plenty of attention from elsewhere, but Lampard has given the go ahead for the club to sign him.
However, both clubs are pushed for time ahead of the transfer window closing at 11pm.
Alli would no doubt be a good signing for the Toffees should he get regular game time.
The midfielder has featured just 10 times in the Premier League for Spurs this season, scoring once, while Conte has made it clear that Alli has no place in his plans for the remainder of the season.
And with the north London club having already brought in some new faces on deadline day, generating some money and freeing up some space on the wage bill would go a long way.
Spurs announced they have completed the signings of Juventus pair Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski.
Lampard could be the type of manager to get the best out of Alli again and the Everton hierarchy will be aware of that, which could influence their efforts in securing the 25-year-old’s signature.
Everton are desperate for a creative spark in that part of the pitch and Alli is believed to fit the bill.
However, Crystal Palace are also keen admirers and may also hold an advantage when it comes to geographical location for the midfielder, as well as the opportunity to play under Patrick Vieira.
So if Everton are going to strike, they are going to have to pull out all the stops to ensure this one doesn’t slip away.
