Rangers don’t need Alli and a man with three EPL appearances this season can’t afford to be sniffy
Dele Alli needs games, but Rangers don’t need Dele Alli.
When Danny Murphy told talkSPORT listeners that “I’m not sure Dele would be up for it, but I thought maybe Stevie G at Rangers could persuade him to go there and win him the title”, it sparked a series of derisory comments from EPL fanboys.
We’re all familiar with the ‘tinpot’ cries whenever Rangers or Celtic are mentioned in connection with English Premier League players (appropriate response pictured below), but on this occasion they’re even more misguided than usual.
While Alli possesses an impressive pedigree, with 37 England caps and 231 Spurs appearances to his name at the age of just 24, there is little to suggest he would be anything other than an expensive luxury in Glasgow.
Jose Mourinho clearly doesn’t fancy him, and the manager’s decision to field Alli in only three league matches this season has been vindicated as his tightly-drilled side top the table with just one defeat in their opening 12 fixtures.
Gerrard’s side are cut from a similar cloth in terms of commitment and organisation, having shipped just four goals in their opening 17 Premiership matches.
While huge credit has to go to the likes of Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun and Filip Helander in the centre of defence, the Rangers defence are often left with little danger to defuse thanks to the diligence of Gerrard’s midfield.
Alli provides flair and attacking threat, but Gerrard’s priority is serving the needs of the collective. Steven Davis, Scott Arfield, Ryan Jack, Glen Kamara and Joe Aribo have wholeheartedly bought into the manager’s approach, and further forward Ryan Kent is adept at linking midfield and attack.
Kent appears undroppable, so Dele Alli does not appear to be the kind of player that Rangers are crying out for as they aim to maintain the remarkable run of form that’s seen them go undefeated in all competitions this season.
Steven Gerrard’s side is not one based around stars. Few of the current Rangers squad could be considered household names outwith the Scottish game.
There’s no modern-day equivalent of Paul Gascoigne or Brian Laudrup, and yet the 2020 crop are scaling European heights rarely reached by that legendary pair.
The most high-profile player to have worn a Rangers shirt in years is Joey Barton, and we all know how that panned out. Big reputations are far less important to Gerrard than commitment and concentration.
By instilling a sense of professionalism, unity and discipline, Gerrard has shown that the team is more important than the individual. As a significantly bigger name than even James Tavernier or Alfredo Morelos, it’s hard to see how Alli would fit into Gerrard’s thinking.
It goes without saying that Alli would provide quality, but with a real shot at ending Celtic’s domestic domination and reaching the latter stages of the Europa League Gerrard has neither the time or the inclination to bed in a big name and wait for them to adapt to his philosophy or the relentless, physical nature of Scottish football.
If Alli was to be given a regular place in the Rangers team, it could benefit the player. Despite the huge gap in resources that exists on account of the EPL’s TV money, there are few who would argue that Tottenham Hotspur is a club with the same status as Rangers or Celtic.
He would be given an opportunity to regain his sharpness in fiercely competitive matches, and might regain his rhythm by playing in a winning team. The move could then conceivably be of use to Alli, but the benefit to Rangers is less clear.
That’s to say nothing of the financial issue. A move would only become remotely feasible if Spurs were willing to cover a significant chunk of Alli’s salary, which is believed to work out at around £100,000 per week.
All of which is to say, Dele Alli will not be signing for Rangers, but not because Dele Alli is too good to consider Rangers.
Right now, Rangers are too good to consider Dele Alli.
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