Spurs could be about to get their hands on another Dele Alli – Our View

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Tottenham Hotspur are being strongly linked with a move for Nicolo Zaniolo at the moment.

The north London club are in for the Italian attacking midfielder, and while this looks like an exciting signing on paper, there’s reason to be cautious here.

Indeed, despite being just 23 years old, Zaniolo already looks to be declining after a number of below-par performances for Roma over the last 12 months.

Interestingly, Zaniolo’s decline somewhat mirrors Dele Alli’s downturn.

Both Zaniolo and Alli were highly-rated as youngsters and were tipped for big things, but have recently seen a downturn in form that has raised questions about their future.

Zaniolo, who was once tipped as one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in Europe, has contributed to just one league goal this season and has had a string of underwhelming performances.

It’s not just end product that is lacking for Zaniolo either. The midfielder has also put up career lows in terms of key passes per game and dribbles per game in Serie A.

This decline in form has been particularly noticeable since the arrival of Jose Mourinho as Roma’s head coach. Similarly, Alli also had a difficult time under Mourinho at Tottenham, which is where his decline truly started.

One of the most striking similarities between Zaniolo and Alli is the way in which their form has dipped under Mourinho.

Both players struggled to adapt to the demands of the Portuguese gaffer. Mourinho is known for his no-nonsense approach and has no time for players who won’t give their all.

Alli, for example, was famously criticised by Mourinho for his lack of discipline and for being a “lazy” trainer, while Mourinho recently reportedly made Zaniolo train on his own.

Zaniolo recently had to train alone and has been left out of matchday squads, which raised questions about his commitment to the team. Similarly, Alli has often been accused of lacking focus and professionalism, and has been criticised for his attitude on and off the pitch.

Luckily, for Zaniolo, the rot hasn’t set in like it has with Alli. He’s been out of form for about a year whereas Alli hasn’t been at his best for almost four years now, so there is time to turn things around.

However, the early warning signs are there. Zaniolo is currently playing as though his best days are behind him, and if his career doesn’t get back on track soon, he could end up being like Alli, a promising player who faded way too soon.