Sean Dyche denies Dominic Calvert-Lewin Everton fight as he admits new Dele Alli blow

Everton manager Sean Dyche has denied that he had a bust-up with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and insists the striker remains focused as he approaches the final six months of his contract. The Blues boss has also admitted that Dele Alli has suffered another fitness setback.

Following speculation that there had been an altercation between Everton’s manager and his number nine after the team’s last win, 2-0 at Ipswich Town on October 19, Dyche was asked about a potential fight with Calvert-Lewin but replied: “Eh? I’ve heard some now! I’ve heard some here more than ever.”

Calvert-Lewin hasn’t scored since Everton’s 3-2 loss at Aston Villa on September 14 and after going eight games without finding the net, he was dropped for Sunday’s 4-0 defeat at Manchester United where Beto started instead. Like Dyche, the Yorkshireman’s current deal expires next summer but the 53-year-old doesn’t think that the player’s focus is elsewhere.

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He said: “That’s standard in football. Agents will be doing that. I’m not going to name names but I know players who have signed three-year contracts with clubs and I have had their agents ringing me about the player who has just signed for someone.

“I’ll say: ‘What are you ringing me for?’ They’ll tell me they are just sounding things out.

“My point is that agents are always working away from the players, minding their backs. That’s part and parcel of it now.

“The modern player will always have someone around them, working away thinking: ‘What if this happens? What if that happens? What if you go there?’ It’s just a constant thing. Players have to get use to it.

“Contract in, contract up. Six months in, 12 months in, players have to get used to it. It’s their choice.”

Dyche added: “You can’t worry about it. They are humans. You just try to effect it. Worrying never solved anything in my life, I’ll tell you.

“Actions solve things. You try to align them. Whatever the outcome they want is, we try to help them get there. You’ve got to do this for Everton Football Club.

“It’s a job, it’s a responsibility. It should be a passion – hopefully. It’s always a win-win.

“Whatever your outcome, we can help you get there. But you have got to do your work here. You tell them the truth in a world where you are not allowed to tell the truth.”

Although Dele's contract expired over the summer, the midfielder has still been training with Everton. But Dyche admitted that the 28-year-old, who hasn’t played for the Blues since August 13, 2022, has suffered a new fitness setback.

He said: “Dele has had a minor thing but he’s just taking a time out because obviously he’s had a few now and he’s just peed off with it. So, we’re just monitoring that at the minute.

“He’s abroad at the minute but working. It’s just a break from coming in, you know what it’s like, it grips you then, so we said: ‘Yeah, yeah, of course’.”