What Everton are planning to do with Dele Alli before any contract talks can start

Everton could allow Dele Alli to line-up for the club in behind-closed-doors training games as part of work to decide whether to offer him a new contract. The midfielder is making progress in his recovery from a long term groin issue.

And, despite his deal with Everton having now expired, the England international is training with the club.

That rehabilitation work is set to continue and could eventually extend to a ‘games programme’ that would be used to assess his fitness and the impact he could potentially have after 18 months blighted by injury.

Sean Dyche remains open to the prospect of offering the 28-year-old fresh terms - but stressed a lot needs to happen before a decision could be made.

Dele is yet to play under the Blues boss after returning injured from a loan spell with Besiktas late in the 2022/23 campaign.

The 28-year-old has suffered repeated setbacks and did not play a match last season. His last display for Everton came as a substitute in the defeat at Aston Villa two years ago.

Despite that, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur star has built a rapport with Dyche, who appears keen to provide him with every opportunity to rekindle his career.

That goodwill has extended to discussions between Everton and Spurs to address contractual barriers that would be prohibitive to the Blues re-signing the player.

Asked whether the club would open talks with Dele should he be able to prove his fitness, Dyche said: “We honestly haven’t gone that far with him as a player, that’s for sure.

“The club have outlined ‘what ifs?’ but with the player I’ve just said, and I have maintained this, that the first thing is just to get back out there, running freely, playing, training and all that side of things.

“We will have to wait and see on that… [In terms of fitness] He is close but not there yet. And don’t forget he’s hardly had any actual football - as in games - for a long time.

“There is a games’ programme still yet, as well. It’s not just a case of getting fit and running around with the first team group, then he needs games so therefore a games’ programme has got to come next.

“When you’ve been out that long you need a period of building up and getting to true fitness. That could take three or four games.

“Even then you’re not truly fit but it gives you a better chance. It’s a bit like an extended pre-season, let’s say.”

Dele could play for Everton in behind-closed-doors training matches but would need to be registered with the club in order to play for the Under-21s, whose season begins against Blackburn Rovers on Friday.

Dyche suggested he was open to exploring such opportunities with a player the club has worked with through both fitness issues and the personal difficulties the player bravely has opened up about while with Everton.

That relationship appears key to the efforts to support his recovery.

Dyche added: “I think he is respectful of the fact we have helped him where we’ve needed to, or helped him where we could, and he is respectful of that.

“And he knows the players, he knows the environment, he knows me and the staff, so I think it works hand-in-hand.

“He is ticking along nicely. Now it’s about building that programme up to the point where he’s playing and then building the games’ programme up and then a conversation will be had at some point.”