Spurs and Everton still negotiating over contract clause in Dele Alli transfer
Everton and Tottenham have yet to reach an agreement on new terms for the transfer of Dele Alli, nearly two years after the player traded north London for Merseyside.
England international Dele joined Everton at the end of the winter 2022 window, shortly after Frank Lampard took over as manager of the Toffees. The terms of the deal saw the buyers pay nothing up front, but payments will be triggered when he meets certain appearance thresholds.
The first of those payments amounts to £10m after his 20th game for the club. He has played 13 times so far, but Everton's financial worries have seen them attempt to gain assurances from Spurs that the payment can be waived.
Lampard, the manager who brought Dele to Goodison Park, was dismissed midway through the 2022-23 campaign. Earlier this season, his successor Sean Dyche confirmed talks had begun and were ongoing.
“No not yet," he told reporters when asked if things had been resolved. "Kev (director of football Kevin Thelwell) has had a couple of phone calls just lightly in the background, (asking Tottenham) look where do you see it?’ But nothing has changed at the moment.”
Everton chiefs face transfer backlash from fans after deadline day disaster
Dele spent last season on loan at Besiktas after making just one start for Everton in his first half-season with the club. He has yet to feature this season due to injury, with a groin problem keeping him out since the summer, but he returned to training in early December.
Will Dele Alli turn things around at Everton? Have your say in the comments section
Dele Alli has yet to play a competitive game for Everton this season (Getty Images)“Dele is going well," Dyche said at the start of the month, as relayed by The Echo. "He’s on the grass but not with us yet. He’s back fully on the grass with the sports science side, fitness, going through football-related drills but the actual freedom to come and join in with us he’s not there yet. Hopefully over the next week he’ll start slowly blending in.
“He’s still got a bit to go because obviously he’s been out a long time, he needs game programme and all that. To get him back on with us would be really pleasing.
“He’s so unlucky, the last time 12-13 weeks ago he was really unlucky for the damage that was done but the good news is it’s been settling down and he’s feeling good. I literally just saw him as we were walking in here and he said: ‘Yeah, I’m feeling great’."
Everton manager Sean Dyche has provided updates on the midfielder (Paul Greenwood/REX/Shutterstock)Everton's season has been overshadowed by a Premier League record 10-point deduction, which came after an alleged breach of the league's profit and sustainability rules. The penalty saw Dyche's team drop into the Premier League's relegation zone, but they have since rallied to climb clear of danger.
Since the points deduction in mid-November, Everton have played five times in the Premier League. Four of those have brought victories, with successive clean sheets in wins against Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, Chelsea and Dyche's former club Burnley.
Everton travel to Dele's old employers Tottenham on Saturday, with Spurs sitting just outside the Champions League spots. Victory for Ange Postecoglou's men would be a third in a row - with Newcastle and Forest their most recent victims - and would see them spend Christmas Day in the top four thanks to Manchester City's Club World Cup responsibilities keeping them out of Premier League action this weekend.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
