‘It surprises me’: Reported Tottenham summer target left shocked by Mourinho decision

Follow us on Google Discover

Troy Deeney has admitted to the Sports Breakfast, which was broadcast on TalkSPORT, that he has been shocked by Jose Mourinho’s reported decision to leave Dele Alli out of his Tottenham Hotspur team.

The Athletic claim that Alli won’t feature in Spurs’ match day squad for their game against Burnley this evening.

And Deeney says that Mourinho’s decision to drop Alli out of contention has left him shocked.

“It surprises me that he’s been left out,” he said to TalkSPORT.

“I do believe that Dele Alli has a future and I think everyone would also say that he’s done well over the years.

“He’s probably done better than anticipated at the start and set high standards, so now he’s having to relive those memories and get back to the player he was.

“But certainly he adds to Tottenham, even if he’s on their bench he adds to them.

“So I think it’s a case of Jose throwing down the gauntlet and saying: ‘Do you want to work for it? Show me what you’ve got’.”

Deeney was actually linked with a move to Tottenham this summer, and he told TalkSPORT that the interest was real.

However, no move ever materialised for the target-man with Spurs going for Carlos Vinicius instead.

Vinicius’s arrival has actually been one of the reasons why Alli is now struggling to even make Tottenham’s bench.

The Brazilian claimed two assists on debut, and seems to be a preferred attacking option on the bench for Mourinho, rather than Alli right now.