Dele Alli is now a free agent, with both Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion linked
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With Dele Alli a free agent once again, the time has come for the almost-yearly reminders of what could have been for the former England international.
Once thought of as the next Steven Gerrard, Alli appeared to have the world at his feet as a teenager. He notched 51 Premier League goals for Tottenham Hotspur and was crowned the PFA Young Player of the Year twice before his career began to go downhill from the age of just 23.
Now aged 29, Alli has seen fruitless spells with Everton, Besiktas and Como and is now looking for a fresh start to reignite his career after seeing his contract terminated by the Serie A club managed by Cesc Fabregas, with several EFL outfits linked with a move.
Three Championship clubs have stepped forward to compete for Alli’s signature according to Mail Sport, including Birmingham City. But for both player and club, this may not be the right move to make at this delicate stage of Alli’s career.
Dele Alli to Birmingham would be a PR stunt - not a footballing move
It is somewhat frustrating to see that two of the three clubs linked with Alli are Birmingham and Wrexham. This screams PR move from both clubs, a transfer motivated more by TV viewing figures and social media engagements than by anything on the pitch.
With a focus put on Blues for the moment - where would Alli even fit in Chris Davies’ side? Jay Stansfield has been starting just behind the striker when fit, while the likes of Paik Seung-ho and Willum Thor Willumsson have ensured that Wolves loanee midfielder Tommy Doyle has had to settle for a place amongst the substitutes thus far. The squad already has expensive back-ups for almost every position.
Alli has played nine minutes of competitive football since February 2023 following significant injury problems, and a move by Birmingham for the former England international would be a significant risk. By the time Blues are even able to get him match fit, they would be in such a crucial stage of the season that it may not even be worth risking him in case things go wrong.
As summed up rather nicely by Mail Sport, Alli is a natural fit for ‘Documentary Land’. Tom Brady and co.’s role in his rejuvenation would make great viewing in Built In Birmingham: Brady & The Blues. But that does not mean it is the right move for the club or for the player himself. A player who, as he opened up about in 2023, has been through a lot in his life. Having a camera thrust in his face as he struggles to get himself fit may not be the answer if he is to truly get his career back on track.
West Brom move to reunite with Ryan Mason could be the right choice
The third side linked with a move for free agent Alli, according to Mail Sport, is West Bromwich Albion. The Baggies have made a strong start to the Championship season, appear a more stable project and have one key draw for Alli in the shape of former team-mate Ryan Mason.
The 34-year-old former Spurs player was appointed Baggies head coach over the summer and has racked up 10 points from 12 so far with his new club. The ceiling Alli could reach at The Hawthorns is high and there would still be high stakes, but certainly less scrutiny. He would still need to compete for a spot with the likes of in-form Isaac Price and Jayson Molumby, which is no easy task.
There is certainly a player within Alli who could achieve great things at Championship level. It is important that the 29-year-old is given the right environment to find this version of himself, or else another year or two of his career could easily fall by the wayside. This next move for Alli could ultimately prove a very crucial decision.