Tottenham Hotspur insider John Wenham has lauded Spurs chairman Daniel Levy for his business regarding the sale of Dele Alli, for which he is now set to receive a fee as Besiktas are closing in on a move for the midfielder.
The Lowdown
According to a report by the Daily Mail, the Turkish giants are keen to sign the former Lilywhites midfielder this week, with Everton willing to sanction the move despite only signing the 26-year-old in January.
The Englishman has played just 38 minutes of Premier League football this season, having failed to secure a spot in Frank Lampard’s starting XI.
However, whilst Alli is yet to make 20 appearances for the Toffees, the benchmark which would trigger a £10m payment to Tottenham, The i reports that if a deal is done between Besiktas and Everton, then the Merseyside club will still have to pay a significant proportion of the original fee agreed.
The Latest
With the news that Spurs will receive a fee as a result of Alli’s move away from Everton, Wenham has hailed Levy’s business in the deal as a ‘masterstroke’.
Speaking with Football Insider, the N17 insider claimed: “Alli is being shipped out to Besiktas by the looks of it. It shows Tottenham were absolutely spot on in getting shot of him for nothing in January, just getting the £150,000-a-week off the wage bill.
“If he can’t get in that Everton side then that is shambolic, they are terrible. At least Tottenham got the good side of Alli.
“Mourinho has been proved absolutely right. In the documentary he said Alli would regret his career in 20 years, was he wrong? It sounds like Tottenham are still going to receive a fee for him somehow.
“It was a masterstroke to get rid of his wages when he has zero interest in being a professional footballer. So it’s another masterstroke from Levy.”
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The Verdict
After making 269 appearances for the Lilywhites, the club regretfully said goodbye to Alli after a disappointing period necessitated a move elsewhere to revitalise his career.
However, after just 13 games (and only one start) in a Toffees shirt, it seems that the 26-year-old has failed to impress Lampard, as he has now become surplus to requirements at Goodison Park.
Therefore, whilst the financial windfall will come as a big boost for Spurs, the fact that it's due as a result of Alli’s adversity illustrates the sad reflection of the player’s fall from the top level, which once saw him hit start in a World Cup semi-final.