Dele Alli To Everton Has Been Named Worst Signing Of The Season
Alli arrived at Goodison Park back in January.
Featured Image Credit: Alamy & Everton
Topics: Transfers, Premier League, Everton, Dele Alli,
Daniel Marland
Topics: Transfers, Premier League, Everton, Dele Alli,
Everton midfielder Dele Alli has been named the 'worst' signing of the season despite only arriving in January.
Alli arrived at Goodison Park from Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day in a deal that could cost the Toffees up to £40 million.
Manager Frank Lampard took a gamble on Alli and it looks to have backfired, with the midfielder starting just one game for his new club.
Speaking to BettingOdds.com, former Premier League defender Glen Johnson criticised the transfer, claiming it hasn't worked for either party yet.
"The worst one, which is a bit harsh, I'd say Dele Alli to Everton," he admitted.
"It was an odd move. At first I thought it was a good signing as I thought it was a free transfer but since then we've all learned that it could potentially cost Everton up to £40 million.
"I think Dele is a good player, but are you telling me he can't get into this Everton side? I just don't understand it. He went there to play and he's not playing so it just looks odd from the outside."
When Alli arrived, Everton were hoping they'd reignite his career.
Alli burst onto the scene at Spurs after joining from League One outfit MK Dons in 2015.
He'd win PFA Young Player of the Year in his first two seasons and become a regular in the England squad.
Many believed Alli would kick on to become one of the world's best players, but he started to stagnate.
Spurs sacked popular boss Mauricio Pochettino, who was vital to Alli's development, in late 2019 and replaced him with Jose Mourinho, who delivered some hard truths.
From that point on, he found himself on the fringes under Mourinho as well as successors Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte.
At 25-years-old, Alli decided to seek pastures new after six-and-a-half years in north London.
Alli moved to Everton at the same time Donny van de Beek joined on loan from Manchester United.
Despite their experience, they've failed to help Everton's situation and they sit 17th in the table, just three points above the relegation zone.
They do have two games in hand over Watford, however. Everton were eliminated from the FA Cup on Sunday at the hands of Crystal Palace.
Patrick Vieira's side ran out 4-0 winners to book a semi-final clash with Chelsea.
Lampard cut a frustrated figure post-match, criticising the quality of Palace's goals as 'average' and 'flukes'.