Dele Alli, who faced challenges in recent years and had his loan at Besiktas cut short due to injury last season, was among the early arrivals at Finch Farm as Everton commenced their pre-season training on Thursday, writes the LiverpoolEcho. The 27-year-old midfielder had joined the Turkish club after being deemed surplus to requirements by former Everton manager Frank Lampard, following his failure to capitalize on opportunities during the previous summer and secure a spot in the starting lineup.
However, Dele now has a fresh opportunity to impress under a new manager, and he has made a positive start by being one of the first players to report for duty as Everton resumed their activities. This summer holds great significance for Dele, as his career trajectory has taken a downturn after reaching the pinnacle of the sport, contributing significantly to England’s journey to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and Tottenham Hotspur’s run to the Champions League final in 2019.
Lampard brought Dele to Everton in January of the previous year, and his tenure with the club began intriguingly. While he struggled to consistently make an impact, he played a part in several crucial moments. His introduction at halftime proved pivotal as Everton fought back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Crystal Palace and secure safety in the second-to-last game of the season.
Last summer, Dele traveled to the United States with the first team, and it was during the match against Blackpool that he showed signs of returning to form by scoring twice at Bloomfield Road. However, he failed to build on that performance and instead embarked on a tumultuous loan spell at Besiktas. His loan was cut short when he returned to the United Kingdom in April for surgery on a hip muscle issue.
Upon his return, Dele had a conversation with his new manager, Sean Dyche, who unsurprisingly greeted his players upon their arrival at Finch Farm today. Dyche expressed optimism about their discussion, stating, “I just got a sense that he wants to be back playing football and playing well.”