Besiktas manager Senol Gunes claims that Dele Alli has not returned to training after going on a pre-agreed break. The former England international, who signed on loan from Everton last summer, has had a rocky time in Turkey and his relationship with Gunes is showing no signs of improvement.
Alli’s career has been in a devastating tailspin since the 2020/21 season, which he finished with no Premier League goals for the first time. He eventually left Tottenham for Everton in January last year, but his stint at Goodison Park did not work out either.
Still technically contracted to the Toffees, manager Sean Dyche will surely not have much appetite to welcome the 26-year-old back after a series of mishaps while on loan at Besiktas. According to Gunes, Alli is not answering his phone as he was left to guess why the midfielder had not reported for training this week.
“Dele Alli could not come at this time,” he said. “It’s raining, I guess that’s why he couldn’t come. We’re trying to hear from him. We could not reach him by phone. Hopefully he didn’t have an accident.”
Besiktas have already passed up the opportunity to sign Alli permanently for just £8million, according to reports, in what would have been an unthinkable decision while the player was on his rapid rise in the Premier League.
The Englishman has 37 international caps on his CV and bagged 27 top-flight goals across his first two seasons at Spurs. There had been a few signs of life at Besiktas, with two goals in 13 matches this term, but his relationship with the club has recently deteriorated.
With several months left to run on his loan agreement, Alli has reportedly been banished from the first-team squad and instructed to watch the remainder of the season from the stands. Gunes has pulled no punches when discussing Alli at various points this campaign, hauling him off at half-time in November for a torrid performance against Umraniyespor.
“I couldn’t affect the players [yet], now I can easily get through to them, but we haven’t got through to Dele Alli yet,” he explained at the time. “Let’s not discuss Dele Alli as a player, but he is below expectations in terms of efficiency.”
Gunes also lashed out at Alli back in January by claiming that he ‘does not deserve to play’. Thoughts have already turned to where the midfielder goes from here, with no prospect of his loan move to Turkey being made permanent in the summer.
Everton are still in the thick of a Premier League relegation battle and their top-flight status is far from assured ahead of next season. As things stand, Alli’s contract at Goodison Park is scheduled to run until next June.
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