Dele Alli told how to secure Premier League return after nightmare Turkey spell

Ex-Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood believes Dele Alli can turn round his fortunes and return to playing in the Premier League with the right guidance. Sherwood has advised Alli to find a mentor that can talk ‘some sense into him’ after torrid showings at Everton and Besiktas on loan.

The 27-year-old has fallen out of favour at Goodison Park and was shipped out on loan to Turkey at the start of the season in the hopes of refinding his form. But Alli has struggled to adjust to life at Besiktas and has been openly criticised for his poor attitude by head coach Senol Gunes.

Prior to his permanent move to Everton two years ago, Alli showed an immense amount during his first few years at Tottenham but has seen a steep decline since netting 18 goals in the Premier League for Spurs during the 2016/2017 campaign. Many have written him off but Sherwood believes he still has time to get back to his best.

“I think Dele could still turn it around, I don’t think he’s done. He’s still young enough, but he needs someone to talk to and someone needs to talk some sense into him. He hasn’t turned into a bad player overnight, but he’s certainly lost his way,” said Sherwood, speaking on the Up Front podcast.

“Now he needs to realise that he needs to adapt and find a way. He needs to look at himself and say ‘I can still turn this around’, don’t blame anyone else and look at himself and realise that he’s still young enough.

“I’d love to see him turn it around because he’d get a lot of credit for that. As much as he feels like everyone is against him now, I think everyone would admire his determination to turn it round.

“Dele hit the floor running after he was brought in from MK Dons. He had a manager who wanted to work with him and improve him and he bought into the playing style.”

He added: “He’s not a number 10 in the way that Dennis Bergkamp or Gianfranco Zola were, he’s more of a Frank Lampard who bursts and arrives in the box and scores goals, and the team played to those strengths.

“I don’t think it’s a case of him needing to find the right club to fit him. I think he really needs to decide in his own mind that he needs to shape himself to be the right person to fit a football club and not just wait for it to happen, because it won’t. I think he’s either not listening or he’s not getting the advice.”