Sky Sports News analyses the latest on Dele Alli's current situation from the perspective of the player, his club Tottenham, his manager Jose Mourinho and would-be suitors PSG; Follow the latest news and analysis from the January transfer window on Sky Sports News and our digital platforms
Friday 22 January 2021 15:06, UK
Dele Alli's future continues to dominate the January transfer window, with a resolution to his ongoing situation at Tottenham yet to be reached.
Alli has not made a Premier League start since the opening day of the season and his recent omission from Spurs' squad at Sheffield United has only heightened speculation linking him with a Mauricio Pochettino reunion at Paris Saint-Germain.
But what do we know about the views of the player, the club, the manager and the potential destination? Sky Sports News reporters Paul Gilmour and Bryan Swanson give the 360 view…
Alli is desperate for regular football and would be open to reuniting with former boss Mauricio Pochettino. He is aware of Euro 2020 on the horizon and has a desire to enjoy his football again.
The Everton game on the opening day of the season, when he was hauled off at half-time, was the first real sign life under Jose Mourinho would be different than before. No longer was the 24-year-old viewed as a mainstay of this team and things have hardly improved since.
Mourinho has hinted that Alli is unhappy and the absence from the squad to face Sheffield United was the latest development that points towards problems for the club.
Alli is a player who has always been well thought of at the club, and Spurs have insisted all along they want Alli to fight for his place and expect him to stay.
While it is true they are in a strong position, with his contract running until 2024, they are aware a lack of first-team football for Alli causes them a headache.
Similarly with Tanguy Ndombele in the early stages of Jose Mourinho's reign, an unhappy asset is not ideal from a business perspective. Alli is valued at close to £60m but it's far from a realistic price in a market badly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
As with most deals in this window any departure would likely be on loan, with Spurs finding a replacement. That presents its own problems as Alli is a homegrown player but ultimately the final decision will belong to Daniel Levy.
Mourinho will always leave the door open but on his terms. He backs up his approach with a vast array of trophies and knows what it takes to build winning teams.
He successfully worked with Ndombele and the club to help solve that situation, but each case is different.
A confident and in-form Alli can be a creative asset in a team but Mourinho, who labelled him a lazy trainer in the Amazon documentary, clearly wants more.
He believes he can help Alli reach another level but, in the demanding world of Mourinho, results must be instant.
Sky Sports News chief reporter Bryan Swanson:
There is the obvious Tottenham link between Alli and new PSG head coach Mauricio Pochettino. But the club's interest in Alli extends beyond Pochettino's official appointment this month and, significantly, PSG have not yet ruled out a loan move for him.
PSG sporting director Leonardo was asked specifically about Alli, and Manchester United's Paul Pogba, in a France Football magazine interview published on Tuesday.
He replied: "We will see what the opportunities are, especially through loans. It will depend on what we need as we already have 28 players in our squad. But we are listening."
This is a strange window - Pochettino is recovering from coronavirus and PSG acknowledge that "nobody is buying" at the moment due to the financial impact of the global pandemic.
Sky Sports News has been told PSG are long-term admirers of Alli, particularly in the previous transfer window, but they have yet to make their move.
If they do make a formal approach in this winter window, all roads lead to a loan request only at this stage.
The winter transfer window is open until Monday, February 1 at 11pm.
Follow all the news and analysis on Sky Sports News and across Sky Sports' digital platforms, including our dedicated Transfer Centre blog.
