Dele Alli has been dealt a harsh reality check regarding his future career prospects following his latest setback. The ex-Tottenham ace had his contract terminated by Serie A side Como in early September after making only one appearance.
The 29-year-old joined Cesc Fabregas' team in January on an 18-month contract, following lacklustre spells at Everton and Besiktas. However, he was shown a red card less than 10 minutes into his debut, having come on as a substitute during Como's defeat to AC Milan in March. The former England international is now on the hunt for a new challenge, despite once being hailed as one of the Premier League's brightest young stars. Following his unsuccessful stint in Italy, Dele was linked with three Championship sides. Wrexham, Birmingham and West Brom were among those reportedly interested in signing him as a free agent.
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However, Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson later revealed plans to give his final squad spot to midfielder Ollie Rathbone, who is nearing a return from an ankle injury. Sky Sports analyst Don Goodman has backed the decision, suggesting that any club taking on Dele would be taking a huge gamble.
The ex-Bradford and Sunderland striker believes he may need to demonstrate his value during a trial period before another team takes a chance on him. "It hasn't really worked out since he left Spurs," Goodman told Betway. "He hasn't shown the same quality at Everton, Besiktas, and Como.
"He only played eight minutes for Como last season in Serie A, so it just hasn't happened for him. For me, it's a massive gamble for any club to take on a 29-year-old who has barely played in the past three or four seasons. I think it's a tragic story because he's such a talent, and I think the onus is solely on Dele Alli to find himself a club.
"Whether that means going on trial and taking your chance should it come your way. If I were Dele Alli, I would be happy to do that."
He added: "It's a tricky situation, but if you can get anything like the player that burst on the scene for MK Dons and then Spurs, where he excelled really, I think it's a gamble worth taking. The problem for the clubs linked with him is, you just don't know what he'll be like until he walks through the door."
Swansea were another Championship side also rumoured to be interested in signing Dele. However, the speculation was quickly quashed by manager Alan Sheehan. "I can rule that out," he said this week.
"I haven't heard that one at all right now. We've done our business unless something dramatically changes. Obviously Dele Alli is a wonderful player, so I don't want to comment anything on him or where he is, or how he's playing etc. But look, for Swansea City, I would say no right now."
Despite earlier speculation about his potential retirement, Alli is understood to be actively seeking a new club. However, his dream of earning a place in England's squad for the upcoming World Cup appear to be fading as his options decrease.