Dele Alli announces Everton exit and hints at new challenge

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Dele Alli has confirmed he has left Everton after making just 13 appearances in almost three years since signing from Tottenham.

The former England midfielder, whose last first-team appearance came in February 2023 while on loan with Besiktas, said he is pursuing some “exciting opportunities”.

Dele has been invited to train with Italian side Como by their manager Cesc Fabregas as he seeks to rebuild his career that saw him play in a Champions League final and a World Cup semi-final and twice win the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

He wrote on Instagram: “As widely published this week, 2025 may set me on a new path with some exciting opportunities. Before any of that happens it’s very important for me to make clear how grateful I am of all the fans, staff and players at Everton FC for the support they have given me.

“It’s been an incredibly tough journey trying to put the final pieces together to regain match fitness and I cannot thank the Everton staff enough for the hard work they have put into this process. Unfortunately things haven’t worked out as we all would have hoped and I think it’s the right time for me to turn a new page. I want to wish everyone at this amazing club the very best of luck and hopefully we will see each other again soon.”

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Dele joined Everton in January 2022 with no transfer fee but an agreement that the Merseyside club would have to pay Spurs £10m if he made 20 appearances.

The 28-year-old did not score in 13 games, though he played a key part in the turnaround against Crystal Palace when they stayed up in the penultimate game of the 2022-23 season, and spent most of the following campaign at Besiktas, scoring three goals.

Dele has suffered hip and groin injuries as well as undergoing a spell in rehabilitation to address an addiction to sleeping pills. Last year he opened up in an emotional interview, revealing he was sexually abused at the age of six and was dealing drugs two years later.

His Everton contract expired last summer but he continued to train with the club as he sought to prove his fitness and they negotiated a revised agreement with Tottenham to waive the fee they would have been owed if he played further games.

However, he has now decided to move on and Everton manager Sean Dyche said: “He’s had so much misfortune with injuries. The medical team worked tirelessly, as he has. Onto a new challenge, but we certainly wish him well.”

Dele began his career at MK Dons before joining Tottenham and scoring 67 goals in 289 games for them, helping them to finish second in the Premier League under Mauricio Pochettino. First capped by England as a teenager, he won 37 caps, scoring three goals, the last in the 2018 World Cup quarter-final win over Sweden.