Frank Lampard says Dele Alli hasn't started a game for Everton yet because he's focused on Premier League survival and the 'collective' of the group.
Dele joined the Toffees from Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day on an initial free transfer, which could rise to as much as £40 million.
The 26-year-old has made nine appearances so far but they've all been off the bench despite the fanfare around his arrival.
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Lampard was asked about the England international ahead of Sunday's clash with Brentford and he explained: "I have had those discussions with him, he’ll be very clear as to where I am and at the moment I’m much more concerned about the collective getting over the line as a group.
"If Dele plays his part in these three games then great and he steps up as he’s come on at times and done good things for us.
"It’s an area of the squad where we have other players who have been playing, that’s just the reality of the situation. He needs to just keep training hard and stay really well focused and fight for the opportunity."
Everton are still in a relegation battle and sit in 16th, but they're unbeaten in their last three and have collected seven points out of nine.
They've also got a game in hand on Leeds United, who currently occupy the final relegation place.
Dele was once regarded as one of English football's top talents and he burst onto the scene with Spurs after joining from League One side MK Dons in 2015.
Thought to be a signing for the future, Mauricio Pochettino thrust the youngster into the first team and he won PFA Young Player of the Year two seasons on the trot.
He'd also nail down a place in the England national team and play a part at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.
Dele's career would start to stagnate however and Pochettino's sacking in 2019 and Jose Mourinho's arrival saw him fall down the pecking order.
He'd fail to regain his starting spot under successors Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte, with the club finally deciding to let him go in January.
The midfielder's attitude has been questioned in recent years and talkSPORT's Simon Jordan believes he's a 'waste of time' right now.
Stan Collymore recently told Dele he should 'retire' from football if his heart is no longer in it.
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Topics: Dele Alli, Everton, Frank Lampard
Daniel Marland