Everton's stance on Dele Alli future as Toffees hold vital talks with Tottenham

Dele Alli’s Everton career could be revived later on in 2024, with the Toffees reportedly open to handing him a new deal at Goodison Park. It’s over a year since Dele last made a competitive appearance, but there are suggestions he could rebuild his football career with Everton next season.

One of the brightest talents in English football when he broke through the MK Dons academy, Dele’s career has nosedived in recent years, with the now 27-year-old having fallen into obscurity. It looked as if Dele would get a chance to shine when he moved from Tottenham Hotspur to Everton back in 2022, but it wasn’t a transfer that worked out for the 37-cap England international.

Instead, Dele was chucked out on loan at the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign, when he joined Turkish side Besiktas, once again looking to reignite his struggling career. Suffice to say it didn’t work out for him, with a muscle injury ruling him out for the rest of the season - an issue which has crept into the current campaign too.

But alongside his fitness problems, there had been a behind-the-scenes problem plaguing his spell at Everton. That’s because Everton - Dele’s parent club - have previously been in discussions to amend a particular part of the original deal from when he joined the Merseyside outfit.

According to The Athletic, Everton would be liable to pay Tottenham an extra £10million when Dele reached 20 appearances for the club, essentially removing any incentive for the already cash-strapped Toffees to play him. The bad news for Dele is that no agreement has yet been made, meaning that clause remains and when he’s back fit again, he could find minutes for Everton hard to come by.

However, that hasn’t soured hopes of a Goodison revival for Dele, with Everton still keen to extend his contract at the club and come to an agreement with Spurs about the £10million payment. It’s suggested Dele is hoping to remain in the Premier League and while a return before the end of the 2023/24 season is unlikely, he could be part of Sean Dyche's plans heading into pre-season.

It comes at a general time of uncertainty for Everton themselves. Having been handed four points from their 10-point deduction back, their situation towards the bottom of the Premier League table is looking less perilous, but the threat of a first relegation out of the top flight in over 70 years still lingers.

Couple the on-field problems with the fact there’s a takeover rumbling in the background and another Premier League punishment could be forthcoming soon, there is no guarantee Everton will find a spot for Dele in their squad going forward. But given the turmoil he’s gone through in recent months and years, the mere suggestion that Everton are open to keeping Dele at the club can only be considered a positive for the Milton Keynes-born star.