Karl Robinson thinks loaned-out Everton midfielder and former Tottenham Hotspur star Dele Alli won’t play in the Premier League again.
The Englishman managed Dele Alli when he was coming through as a fresh-faced teenager at MK Dons, before his transfer to then-Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham.
It was the start of a magic ride for the attack-minded midfielder, including a stunning half-volley against Crystal Palace, a brace against Chelsea, England call-ups and a trip to the 2018 World Cup.
What’s even more impressive is that Dele Alli also struck 18 goals from the middle of the park during a single Premier League season.
The footballing world was at his feet, but then things started to spiral for the player, who is now 26 years old and struggling in Turkey for Besiktas.
After managing Dele Alli as a young kid, Karl Robinson spoke about the perception around the player and his downfall, as he told talkSPORT.
“I am sick to death,” said Robinson. “He gets criticised. Yes, his performances have been horrendous and we can judge him. But no one knows him. His performances haven’t been great. He is becoming what the Premier League is nowadays. You are there to be shot down consistently if you are a young English player.
“This is perhaps part of the downward spiral of his performance. The one mistake he makes, we want to jump all over it – he did a lot of things wrong (when he was younger), but that moment of magic overshadowed that a little bit.
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“I think the part of what we were excited about was the future. We are never going to be excited by the future of Dele Alli – if you leave it to him, he is magical at some of the things he does.
On a return to the Premier League: “Right now, where he is, I would say no. From where he is in Besiktas to come to the Premier League. It’s the best league in the world.”
WHAT NEXT FOR DELE ALLI?
Come the summer, the 37-cap England international will return to his parent club, Everton, who are trying to survive relegation from the Premier League.
Whether Sean Dyche has the Toffees in the Championship or in England’s top-flight, it’s pretty obvious Dele Alli won’t be part of his plans.
His only issue is that he won’t be wanted by a Premier League team that has just probably survived the drop and he has been sent back by a team in Turkey without making a mark, so the summer will be interesting for the player.
In other news, ‘Best investment’: Bobby Duncan tells Liverpool to sign £130m superstar
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