Dele Alli, who was given a second chance in his career in Turkey in August, is now facing an uncertain future as he returns to Everton, reports the LiverpoolEcho.
The 26-year-old midfielder joined the Toffees during Frank Lampard’s tenure as manager, hoping to regain his form after a prolonged slump that saw him out of favor at both his club and the national team. However, the move to Goodison Park did not have the desired impact, and Alli was loaned out to Besiktas with an option for the Turkish club to buy him for £8 million.
Although there was no obligation for Besiktas to purchase him, Alli struggled to find form during his stint there, scoring only twice in 13 games. According to The Athletic, Everton has now decided to bring him back to the club.
Everton may face potential problems with Dele Alli’s return, given their goal to operate more efficiently in the market and avoid having high contracts for underperforming players who are difficult to offload. Although the Toffees received a £1.9m loan fee from Alli’s loan to Besiktas, they still bore the cost of his wages during his time there. Last summer, Everton needed to comply with the Premier League’s financial rules and regulations, so they negotiated a deal with Tottenham Hotspur for Alli’s transfer that allowed them to avoid costly transfer fees.
While there was no initial transfer fee, there were clauses and bonus payments that could have resulted in up to £40m in payments to Spurs if the move had been successful. One such clause is that Everton would pay Spurs £10m after Alli makes 20 appearances for the club, and Spurs would also receive 25% of any transfer fee if Alli is sold. Currently, Alli has only started one game for Everton since his January 2022 move, and his contract will expire at the end of next season.
When asked about Dele Alli’s future at Everton, manager Sean Dyche stated that he would wait until the international break to make any decisions. He added that the situation would be assessed in the summer, but bringing Alli back to the team next season might be complicated by his high wages and the £10m payment required if he makes seven appearances. Everton needs to focus on developing young players rather than managing the decline of experienced, expensive players, and resolving Alli’s situation would be a top priority for Dyche this summer.
Furthermore, the club is currently fighting to avoid relegation, and if they do go down, it would be challenging to keep Alli’s wages as a first-team player. Although signing Alli offered significant potential, the club is still recovering financially, and they are hesitant to incur any additional costs. If Everton wishes to sell Alli in the summer, they will need to compromise.