New Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino says he is hoping to reach out to Dele Alli in an attempt to help revive his stalled career.
Once an indispensable figure for both Tottenham and England from a young age, Dele has been on a rapid downward trajectory over recent years amid major issues with both form and fitness.
Having failed to settle at Everton after leaving Spurs, where he had gone from being one of the first names on the teamsheet to surplus to requirements, on deadline day in January 2022, the midfielder continued to struggle notably last season during a disastrous loan spell with Turkish giants Besiktas amid more questions over his commitment.
Dele played only 13 times in Istanbul and saw his temporary stint cut short in April due to a hip injury that required surgery, returning to Everton for rehabiliation as he hopes to prove himself to current Toffees boss Sean Dyche.
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Having only turned 27 in April, there is still ample time remaining for an undeniably gifted talent to revitalise a career that had seen him earn 37 senior England caps - but none since 2019.
And upon his return to the Premier League with Chelsea, ex-Spurs boss Pochettino indicated a desire to get in touch with his former Tottenham protege and aid him in his quest to get back to the top.
“I hope to have some time to call and see because he is a great guy and I want to talk a bit with him. I want to help him and see what is going on,” Pochettino said, according to The Sun.
Pochettino was the manager at Tottenham when they signed then-MK Dons starlet Dele for an initial £5m fee in January 2015, loaning him back to his former club for the rest of the season before he joined full-time in the summer and made a quick impact.
He became a regular under the Argentine, who is convinced that Dele still has the mentality needed to rescue his career despite criticism at times over his attitude and application.
Pochettino added: “He’s still young. For sure, he has the mentality.”
