Alex Iwobi opens up on Dele Alli’s Everton struggles

Alli has barely featured for the Toffees

Alli has been on loan at Besiktas but returned to England to recover from an operation, cutting short what was an underwhelming spell in Turkey.

In April, the former MK Dons and Tottenham star was spotted with friends, surrounded by laughing gas canisters, despite being deemed too unfit to play.

The midfielder also failed to make an impression at Everton after joining from Spurs in January 2022, featuring just 13 times under Frank Lampard before being moved on and teammate Iwobi has lifted the lid on how Alli has been behind the scenes.

Speaking on the FilthyFellas podcast, he said: "With him (Alli), he will say it himself, he isn't a training player. Unless it's a match in training and then you see Dele perform.

"When it comes to training matches, he is a joke. When it comes to drills – he tries, but because he's slow with it. When it comes to games, he will score and assist or something.

"It was hard for him to play. If you're not just doing it in training, and at the time, the manager needed reliable players. 

Iwobi added: "He (Lampard) couldn't really put his trust in him. We all know Dele could have performed."

Although Alli's contract doesn't expire until 2024, there is a chance he could depart Merseyside for nothing in the summer, with Sean Dyche set to decide on who should stay and go come the end of the season.

Dyche and Everton are aiming to secure their Premier League survival and know that bettering the results of Leicester City and Leeds United on Sunday will guarantee safety.

Related links:

• Dele Alli pictured surrounded by gas canisters with balloon in his mouth
• Dele Alli’s former manager reveals he pinned him ‘against the wall’
• Mykhailo Mudryk criticised for posting inappropriate gym video