sport news Once compared to Ronaldinho and Diego Maradona Alli has watched his career ... trends now

Dele Alli was compared to Ronaldinho and Diego Maradona by Mauricio Pochettino during his early years at Tottenham… who could have predicted he would be unwanted by Everton and bound for Besiktas at just 26? Dele Alli rose spectacularly to stardom under Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham The former MK Dons youngster saw his career steadily decline at Spurs Struggled under Jose Mourinho who tried to revive his career after Pochettino Eventually sold to Frank Lampard and Everton but they could not salvage him

By Adrian Kajumba For The Daily Mail

Published: 22:31 BST, 16 August 2022 | Updated: 22:33 BST, 16 August 2022

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The heights he scaled during his peak and the names that came to mind when one of his former managers and mentors discussed Dele Alli could hardly feel further away right now.

The man who was once one of the bright hopes of English football finds himself unwanted by Everton. They are not exactly overflowing with attacking quality yet remain happy to let Alli leave for Turkey.

However much of it may have been self-inflicted, Alli’s decline still sparks an element of sadness for those who remember the good old days.

Everton forward Dele Alli has emerged a shock transfer target for Turkish outfit Besiktas

There were many of those too, most notably under Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham.

‘Maradona was a talented, gifted player; so strong, physicality, natural body that’s strong, quick, powerful; but then his character, it’s winning, the DNA,’ Pochettino once said.

‘The charisma is the best thing he has, when he walks into the room everyone watches him, everyone wants to touch him, wants to ask