Midfielder Dele Alli has been labelled a ‘waste of space’ by Simon Jordan just a few months after completing a move to Everton.
The England international has made just six appearances for the Toffees since leaving Tottenham Hotspur. The 25-year-old is yet to start a game for the Goodison Park outfit either despite the move looking like the prime opportunity for the midfielder to get his career back on track under manager Frank Lampard.
Alli struggled in the final few years of his contract at Spurs, with questions being raised over his work ethic and his mentality – with Jose Mourinho going public with how the midfielder has untapped potential that he won’t reach without a change in attitude. But talkSPORT presented Jordan has lost his patience with the former MK Dons star.
He said: “He’s a complete and utter waste of time. He was a waste of time at Tottenham for two years, he’s been a waste of time being signed for Everton - it was a waste of time signing.
“I hope I’m wrong because the boy was talented. I don’t think he was ever at a level people built him up to, all of a sudden he was the best number 10 in the world and people were making cases about what a wonderful player he was.
“Now he’s been drop-kicked out of Tottenham and the only reason Everton took him was the fee was deferred and paid into the long grass based upon performance. Based upon performance, Everton will get a rebate.”
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Everton signed Alli on a deal where they will have to pay certain amounts depending on how he performs, with the first instalment being paid to Spurs after he has made 20 appearances for the club. Therefore, if the Toffees also lose patience with Allie – assuming that there is a reason for his lack of minutes – then they could sell him in the summer and not have to pay a penny for his services.
Jordan continued: “The kid has got to be embarrassed. Is there any level of professional pride? You’ve been booted out of Tottenham two or three managers didn’t want you, you’ve seen [Jose] Mourinho decimate the way you approach training.”
Everton are currently 17th in the Premier League and just three points above the relegation zone and Lampard will need to see major changes in his team’s performances if they are to avoid the drop. Defensively, they have leaked goals and their attackers lack the spark to get the team out of trouble like they once would.
In such circumstances, many expected Alli to be given the opportunity to showcase his natural ability in a bid to reignite his old form that made him one of the most exciting talents in the league when he broke onto the scene in 2015. But the fact that he was an unused substitute in Everton’s last two games and that he hasn't started a game is leading many to draw their own conclusions on the state of affairs in Merseyside.
