Dele training with £15m transfer ahead of move after clarity over Everton future

Dele Alli has been putting in fitness work ahead of pre-season training as he looks towards getting back to playing after his Everton contract expired.

The 28-year-old’s time with the Blues officially ended on Sunday when his two-and-a-half year contract expired although when writing in a club statement ahead of their final game of the 2023/24 season at Arsenal, Everton said the player will remain with the club while he continues an intensive rehabilitation programme from a long-term groin injury. Dele was photographed on Instagram alongside Newcastle United’s Jamal Lewis – who spent last season on loan at Watford – and Nathaniel Chalobah who has just been released by West Bromwich Albion, being put through their paces outside of Barnet’s Hive Stadium in north London with fitness trainer Connor Peters.

The trio all find themselves at crossroads in their careers, with Dele not having played a competitive game since he was hooked at half-time of Besiktas’ goalless draw at home to Antalyaspor on February 26, 2023, a game that saw former Everton striker Cenk Tosun miss a last-minute penalty, and the injured midfielder’s loan spell in Istanbul being cut short with him returning to Finch Farm in April that year.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United, who paid £15million for Lewis in 2020 are understood to be looking to offload the 26-year-old this summer after Watford failed to take up their option to turn his loan move into a permanent switch with Chalobah, like Dele, a free agent after his contract at the Hawthorns expired.

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Despite Dele’s heavily-incentivised move from Tottenham Hotspur to Everton being potentially worth up to £40million, having played just 13 matches for the Blues, starting just once and failing to complete 90 minutes, no transfer payments were ever required. Last July, an interview with Gary Neville came out in which he spoke frankly about a number of off-the-field issues he suffered throughout both his childhood and adult life, and this was followed by more injury disappointment.

When making the announcement in the aforementioned statement about various players’ futures in May, Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell added: “Dele’s contract is coming to an end, but our medical team will continue to support him whilst he completes the intensive rehabilitation programme he is currently undergoing following the operation he had earlier this year. Both Sean and I agree it is important we ensure Dele’s rehabilitation is not impacted by his contract situation at such a critical point in his recovery.”