Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique has laughed off suggestions that the Reds should sign Dele Alli after Neil Warnock claimed the Everton outcast would thrive at Anfield.
Alli has endured a remarkable fall from grace, going from England regular at the last World Cup, to just four years later being little more than an afterthought for both club and country. Tottenham allowed the midfielder to join Everton a free in January, in a deal which could eventually reach £30million with performance-based incentives.
However, for now Alli, has been little more than a benchwarmer for the Toffees, starting just one game for Frank Lampard’s strugglers and has been an unused sub in the last four games, including Saturday’s brilliant win over Manchester United.
Lampard is adamant that there is no panic regarding the 26-year-old, with plans for him to be a fixture in the side long-term. “I really have that massive belief in him as a player,” the Blues boss said last month. “So I don’t think we have to panic, to rush. When we signed Dele I certainly saw it as a long term plan. At the moment he has contributed and he has to be patient and wait for his time to start.”
But Warnock, who last week announced he would be ending his 41-year managerial career, suggested that Everton’s style wasn’t getting the best out of Alli and claimed that should the likes of Liverpool or Man City sign him, he could get back to his best.
“When I look at Dele, I feel sorry for him,” Warnock told Sky Sports News. “Everton aren’t a team good enough or strong enough to give him the ball in the right areas.
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“You play him off Calvert-Lewin. Play him off the striker and give him the ball in them areas. But they don’t do that. They are under the cosh all the time. They pass it in silly areas and don’t play them balls into feet and get runners, which he is good at.
“I think if you put him into Liverpool or Man City’s team, then you would get a hell of a player out of him.”
That’s a prediction that Enrique had little time for, stating that if he isn’t good enough to feature regularly for the relegation-threatened Toffees, he certainly wouldn’t have what it takes to start for their Merseyside neighbours.
“Do you reckon Jurgen could get anything out of Dele Alli? Warnock claims Everton star on only 169 minutes with Blues would be a good fit for Liverpool,” Enrique posed to his 211k followers on social media, before promptly giving his own response.
“To be honest I don't know what he is talking about, doesn’t play for Tottenham. Don't play for Everton, that is fighting to not be relegated and he is a good fit for Liverpool?”
Warnock, 73, announced he would be retiring from management with immediate effect last weekend, having become a cult figure during his long career - holding the record for the most promotions in English football, with eight to his name.
"I just thought it was the right time, really, coming towards the end of the season, there's not really a job you're going to get before then," he told Sky Sports over the weekend. "I've had a good run really. I'm enjoying things I've not done for years, I'm having a lot of time with the family, my dogs and I've taken up cycling too.”
