Deep down, there’s a lot of Tottenham Hotspur supporters who would’ve been hoping Dele Alli could’ve recaptured his best form at Everton.
The England international joined the Toffees from Spurs in January following a very difficult few years in North London.
Under Antonio Conte, Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho, Alli had struggled in a major way to discover his standard at Tottenham.
In fact, even toward the end of Mauricio Pochettino’s reign, the 26-year-old was already looking a shadow of his former self.
And that ‘former self’ was one hell of a footballer, which is why a tweet from Fabrizio Romano last night might sadden some supporters of the Lilywhites.
According to the Italian journalist, Alli has touched down in Turkey ahead of joining Besiktas.
It seemed almost unbelievable last week when speculation emerged that the former Tottenham attacker could make this move, after also failing to impress at Goodison Park.
But it looks like it is happening and because of how influential and brilliant he once was under Pochettino, many fans of the North Londoners will feel a sense of tragedy over how much their old player is declining.
After all, he is only 26 and to be joining someone who finished sixth in the Turkish top flight last season is a gigantic example of how far he has fallen.
This is a player who won PFA Young Player of the Year for two successive years while under the guidance of Pochettino, who himself will feel a tinge of sadness over what he has become.
Fortunately, time is very much on Alli’s side to finally recapture the sort of form which made him among Europe’s finest young footballers, but the probability of that actually happening seems to be waning all the time.
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