Dele Alli's football career could be set for a revival despite his contract with Como being abruptly ended. The 29-year-old joined the Serie A side on a free transfer in January, penning an 18-month deal in a bid to rejuvenate his faltering career.
However, the ex-Tottenham midfielder's debut was marred when he was shown a red card less than ten minutes after coming on as a substitute during Cesc Fabregas' team's 2-1 loss to AC Milan at the San Siro in March. Following this, Dele found himself sidelined at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia before his contract was mutually terminated last week. The former England star's career has taken a nosedive in recent years following unsuccessful stints at Everton, Besiktas, and most recently, Como.
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However, three Championship clubs, including Wrexham, Birmingham City, and West Brom, are reportedly prepared to offer him a fresh start. The prospect of Dele dropping into the second tier would once have been unthinkable given his rapid rise to prominence with Spurs at the beginning of his career.
He was hailed as one of Europe's most promising young talents at the time, leaving fans baffled by his downfall. Dele's former Tottenham teammate Kieran Trippier has previously shared his views on what triggered the midfielder's decline.
Trippier, who played alongside Dele at Spurs before his move to Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019, believes Mauricio Pochettino's departure from the club that November proved to be the turning point. The right-back discussed Dele's struggles during an appearance on the Undr The Cosh podcast in 2022 and was keen to emphasise Pochettino's tremendous influence.
"Poch was brilliant with Dele to be fair and Dele was flying at Tottenham," Trippier said. "It's one of those where I left and went to Atletico Madrid... but even during my last season there he was flying. He's a great lad, but Poch was brilliant with him."
Dele has previously opened up about how injuries, addiction and mental health struggles have also contributed to his career downturn. He reached his pinnacle under Pochettino following his move to Tottenham from boyhood club MK Dons in the summer of 2015.
Success arrived immediately, with the midfielder scoring 32 times during his first two seasons at White Hart Lane. Dele's outstanding performances under Pochettino earned him consecutive PFA Young Player of the Year awards in 2016 and 2017, though his displays plummeted after the Argentine's dismissal in November 2019.
Pochettino's successor, Jose Mourinho, attempted to revive Dele's career, but to no avail. His efforts to inspire the player were documented in the series Tottenham: All or Nothing. Despite Mourinho's heartfelt plea, Dele only managed to find the back of the net once in the Premier League between August 2020 and January 2022 before Spurs let him join Everton on a free transfer.
However, his TV appearances could work in his favour if he decides to make a move to Wrexham. The Welsh club, owned by Hollywood heavyweights Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, have become a global phenomenon since the duo took over in 2021.
Their incredible journey, documented in the Disney+ series Welcome to Wrexham, has seen them rise from the National League to the Championship. Birmingham, with NFL superstar Tom Brady as a minority shareholder, also released their own documentary series on Amazon Prime last summer. However, if Dele wishes to avoid the limelight and focus solely on reigniting his career, West Brom could be the perfect fit for him.