Everton open to handing 27-year-old a new contract, he could yet play this season

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Dele Alli’s time at Everton has, for the most part, mainly been forgettable.

The 27-year-old moved to Goodison Park in January 2022 after ending his time with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Mirror reports that the two clubs are still in negotiations over the structure of the deal. There have also been suggestions that Tottenham are prepared to reduce the fee by £8million, with The Times claim they are open to reducing the number of appearances required before Everton are required to pay.

Alli’s 2023/24 season has been wrecked by injury, which certainly hasn’t helped proceedings. The midfielder returned to training back in December but recently sustained another setback.

After he underwent groin surgery last month, Sean Dyche revealed it would be a while before he would be fully fit for action.

“We’ll see. There’s a long way to go. We’ve deliberately kept him back; we agreed with him to give him time and space. Hopefully, he’ll be back; we just don’t know,” said Dyche (via The Daily Mail).

“We’ve given him the privacy he needs at this time. He’s in good shape. I spoke to him recently, and we had a good long conversation with him.”

However, there could now be a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

Dele Alli Everton injury hope

After Dyche’s latest update, there was a general feeling that the 27-year-old’s chances of featuring this season were slim.

It wasn’t unbelievable to suggest the midfielder had played his last game, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2024.

However, a glimmer of light has emerged at the end of the tunnel.

According to The Athletic, Alli’s return before the end of the 2023/24 season cannot be completely ruled out, despite the need to carefully ease him back into proceedings.

Furthermore, it’s believed the midfielder is keen to remain in the Premier League and that Everton are open to handing him a new deal upon the conclusion of his current agreement.

Everton deserve credit

Everton does immense credit for how they’ve handled Alli’s situation, particularly after his return from his torrid loan spell in Turkey.

The club’s patience could have worn thin, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s been a feeling of support and belief that Alli could eventually return to the player who was touted among the best youngsters in Europe.

If he can return to half the player he once was, then there’s every chance of him making a positive impact if he’s handed fresh terms on the blue side on Merseyside.