Antonio Conte has insisted ahead of Dele Alli’s return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening that players he lets go usually have a downward career trajectory.
Alli struggled for game time under Conte at Spurs after the Italian took over in November and it did not come as a surprise when the midfielder sealed a permanent move to Everton on January transfer deadline day.
That move brought an end to the 25-year-old’s seven-year spell in North London, which involved several highs and lows for the former MK Dons man.
The midfielder will be hoping to get his career back on track at Goodison Park and regain the type of form that saw him become a regular in the England set-up until a couple of years ago.
Ahead of Alli’s first return to N17 since departing in January, Conte has insisted it was the right decision for all parties that the player left Spurs.
When asked about the midfielder, the Tottenham head coach told The Daily Mail: “It was a good decision for the player and for the club. I can tell you that in the period we worked together I tried to get the best out of him.
“He was always available in training but in the end, it was a good decision for him and he deserves big respect for what he did for this club. He’s young and has all the time to take his career in his own hands.”
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When asked if Alli would have extra motivation to prove him wrong this evening, Conte responded: “Honestly, I don’t remember a player that had revenge with me. When some players went away, usually they went down, not up — usually.”
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If Dele was not already motivated for this evening’s clash, he will surely use these words from Conte as fuel to make a point this evening. I would not be surprised if the 25-year-old plays a blinder and gets on the scoresheet.
However, there is no doubt that the decision to move Dele on in January, was the right one for all parties. The midfielder was stagnating and needed a fresh start elsewhere.
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