English footballer, Dele Alli, was once a rising star with an unlimited potential. With his talent, he could've reached and achieved the Balloon d'Or. However, this hasn't happened. It's quite the contrary. Recent years haven't been kind to him. It's so bad that there are reports that he's contemplating retirement.
Dele Alli has once again found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons, with fresh reports out of Italy painting a bleak picture of the Tottenham icon’s time at Como under Cesc Fabregas.
Dele Alli was largely regarded as one of football’s brightest prospects after a few standout seasons at Tottenham Hotspur under Mauricio Pochettino. The Englishman enjoyed a remarkable 2016–17 season, scoring 22 goals in all competitions and establishing himself as one of the most exciting young midfielders in Europe.
Dele also earned 37 caps for England, including appearances at the 2018 World Cup; however, injuries and off-field issues have since derailed his career. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, it's now believed that the midfielder is seriously considering retirement at 29; less than four years after he left Tottenham Hotspur in January 2022.
Alli joined Como after unproductive spells at both Everton and Besiktas, signing an 18-month contract with the Serie A side and his fortunes remain the same as he has managed just one appearance since joining the Italian side back in January.
That singular outing remains one to forget for the midfielder, who was sent off for a tackle on fellow Englishman, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, which is reported to have left manager Cesc Fabregas furious.
The ex-England ace is now training on his own with his future at the club hanging by a thread. Dele, 29, only joined the Serie A newcomers in January, hoping for one last career revival under Cesc Fabregas.
Just months later, the former Spurs star has reportedly been frozen out and could be shown the door. Gazzetta dello Sport say that Fabregas no longer sees Dele in his plans for the season ahead.
The midfielder hasn’t kicked a ball in a competitive game since March and even then, it ended in disaster. Dele came off the bench late against AC Milan at the San Siro and lasted just 10 minutes.
A challenge on England pal Ruben Loftus-Cheek saw VAR intervene and Dele shown a straight red. Even Kyle Walker - who was playing for Milan - made a desperate plea to the ref but it couldn’t save him from an early bath. He was banned for one match but hasn’t played since.
Now, it's claimed he has been banished from the first team and is training away from the squad, alongside other unwanted players.
Como have moved on and are focusing on younger stars with better fitness records and fewer risks. Gazzetta suggest Dele will now consider retiring should he not find a new club soon.
Alli previously revealed in a brave and heartbreaking interview that he became addicted to sleeping pills following a nightmare stint in Turkey. The midfielder left Everton on loan for Besiktas in 2022 but returned to the UK nursing a hip injury in April 2023.
Alli found himself on a downward spiral after returning to England, excessively drinking and consuming sleeping pills. In a desperate bid to get himself back on the straight and narrow, he checked himself into a rehab facility.
Alli - who also revealed he was sexually abused by a friend of his mum as a child - said his decision to check into rehab was fully supported by Everton, who gave him additional help during the difficult time.
He said at the time: "Everton were amazing and supported I will be grateful to them forever. For them to be so honest and understanding I couldn't ask for anything more during a time I was making the biggest decision of my life - doing something I was scared to do. I'm happy I've done it."
The headline also makes reference to the sending off Dele experienced against AC Milan and outlines Fabregas being critical of him after that, plus the options the Como boss has available to him in that area of the pitch including Martin Baturina, Nico Paz and Lucas Da Cunha.
The report continues: "Dele now trains with a large contingent of Como players who aren't currently on the roster. And he ponders whether the time has truly come to say enough."
A player who considers retirement at that age and because of external reasons is always sad. Dele Alli has had a difficult life. Additional bad news is never helpful. There's no way to tell where he goes from here. Every footballer has a different path after retirement. I suppose he will haver to do some thinking as to the way forward. Retirement is not always good. After many years of competing, an athlete can get, 'lost' if a clear path isn't generated.