The former Liverpool defender also suggested that his old side are regretting their failure to sign the Tottenham midfielder “every single minute of every single day”.
Ex-player turned pundit Mark Lawrenson
Mark Lawrenson has claimed that Dele Alli’s transfer to Tottenham Hotspur wasn’t universally popular at White Hart Lane.
Only five players – all strikers – have scored or made more goals than Alli (40) over the past two Premier League seasons, despite the 21-year-old having never before played above the third tier of English football.
His form for previous club Milton Keynes Dons had several top flight clubs circling before Spurs eventually swooped, and according to Lawrenson – the former Liverpool defender turned pundit – Alli was heading to Anfield initially.
“He’s a player isn’t he? He’s one of those lucky lads who can be anything that he wants to be. But he also has got that little bit of edge about him,” the 59-year-old told this week’s The Ref Show. “He was going to Liverpool, you know? It was all done, absolutely all done – sorted. And Liverpool had change of heart the next day. They’re regretting it every single minute of every single day.”
And it seems as though Tottenham’s decision makers weren’t entirely convinced themselves.
Lawrenson continued: “The other thing as well, you know; Tottenham have a little bit of a transfer committee, because I know one of the guys on it. And when they went to buy him only three of the five said yes. When I say ‘only’, obviously three was enough.”
Tottenham’s Dele Alli celebrates scoring his side’s first goal against Watford
Less than two years on from his £5 million transfer, Alli is already being linked with moves to some of Europe’s elite clubs, notably Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
However, former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp told Talksport on Monday the England international should “give it another three or four years and see what happens”, believing the north London side have the potential to match his ambition.
Tottenham remain on course for their highest league finish in 54 years, having opened up a five-point cushion over third-placed Liverpool.
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