Monday 10 April 2017 12:20, UK
Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has the ability to become world class but needs to replicate his form on the international stage, says Paul Walsh.
Alli, who is still just 20 years old, has notched 19 goals for Spurs this season with 16 of them coming in the Premier League.
Since moving to Tottenham from Milton Keynes Dons in 2015, Alli has emerged as a supreme talent, appearing 88 times for Tottenham, scoring 29 goals, while earning 17 caps for England.
Ex-Spurs forward Walsh was speaking as a guest on Premier League Daily on Monday, and while he heaped praise on Alli's form this season, he believes the young midfielder will have to produce consistently and at international level to be ranked among the world's best.
"He's got world class in his locker because that was a world-class goal [Alli's strike against Watford on Saturday]," Walsh said live on Sky Sports.
"We normally talk about world class when people have done it at international tournaments and I don't want to start bestowing that on him already.
"He's a fantastic player having a great season, with world-class abilities.
"To be called world class I think you have to do it for a number of years and be in an elite band without world class getting distorted too much, but his contribution this season has been phenomenal."
Walsh made 156 appearances over five seasons at White Hart Lane, scoring 29 goals and winning the FA Cup with the club in 1991.
Tottenham currently sit second in the league table, seven points behind Chelsea, and next welcome Bournemouth on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD.
