Football.London has recently revealed that Crystal Palace are eyeing a January loan move for Tottenham Hotspur outcast Dele Alli. In a recent interview (via Football.London), when asked about whether he would be willing to launch a move for the English midfielder, the Eagles boss Roy Hodgson said, “You never know.
“I’m pretty certain that if Dele Alli is ever released in any way, either on loan or to be sold, there will be clubs interested in him because he is a quality player, and I’m certain everyone understands that.
“But in a squad of players that you are working with, every manager has to use the squad in the way that he thinks is best for the team.”
Alli’s Underwhelming Season In English Football
Alli has experienced a frustrating season at North London as he has failed to earn regular game time under Jose Mourinho’s stewardship so far. The 24-year-old has just featured in eight matches for Spurs this term, registering two goals and one assist on all fronts. However, only two of his appearances have come in the Premier League which highlights his diminishing influence at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Milton Keynes-born playmaker has struggled to be consistent with his attacking contributions based on his average of 1.2 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.2 dribbles per game in the Premier League and the UEFA Europa League group stages. His ball-distribution has also been far from convincing as evidenced by his pass success rate of 77.9% in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
What Does The English Midfield Ace Bring To The Table?
Alli boasts excellent close control and composure when dribbling with the ball from midfield. He can also get himself into some promising areas in the attacking third but needs to add more goals and assists to his game if he intends to reignite his career in English football.
The 37-time England international is a good passer of the ball and is versatile enough to play in multiple positions in midfield. He is primarily an attacking midfielder but can also fill in as a left-winger or play in a more reserved role as a box to box midfielder if needed.
Should Jose Mourinho Let Alli Leave On Loan In January?
At 24, Alli is about to enter the prime stage of his playing career, so he needs to secure regular game time in the coming months to ensure that he stays relevant at the highest level. At the moment, the former Milton Keynes Dons youngster looks like a shadow of his former self, so a loan move to Palace could be an appealing proposition for him to consider during the upcoming winter transfer window. Spurs can also benefit from sanctioning his loan departure with the hope that he would come back to North London with more confidence and as a better version of himself next summer.
