It will soon be a year since Dele last kicked a ball in anger
Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 01.01.24. | 19:00
And it will be even longer because of Everton's money problems
Dele Alli's hopes for a return to the football pitch with Everton have been thwarted by yet another injury setback, this time in the form of a recurring thigh problem.
The midfielder took to social media to disclose his disappointment, confirming that he'll be sidelined "for a short while" due to the setback. Alli, 27, had been progressing in his training regimen at Everton's Finch Farm training ground, anticipating a return to full team training after working closely with the club's sports science department.
"Unfortunately, the year isn't ending as I would have hoped. I had been close to returning to full training, but frustratingly, I've had another setback with my injury. I'll be out again for [a] short while, but my outlook and mentality is nothing but positive. I'll be attacking my physiotherapy and giving it everything to be back on the pitch as soon as possible."
Alli's absence from professional football dates back to February 2023, during his loan spell at Besiktas. Upon his return from Turkey, he underwent thigh surgery and subsequently spent six weeks in a rehabilitation centre in America to address issues related to a sleeping pill addiction. His contract with Everton is set to expire in six months. His signing from Tottenham two years ago involved an unconventional arrangement wherein Everton was exempt from payment to Tottenham until he reached a specified number of appearances. Reportedly, if Alli features in another seven matches for Everton, the club would owe Tottenham $13 million.
Due to financial constraints, Everton attempted to renegotiate this arrangement with Tottenham. However, Everton rejected Tottenham's proposal to reduce the fee to $10 million for a lower number of appearances.
