Antonio Conte has now opened up on Dele Alli’s Tottenham exit this week after the midfielder made a deadline day transfer to Everton.
Dele struggled to make an impact this season at Spurs, despite getting off to a good start under Nuno Espirito Santo at the start of the campaign. He started the first six matches of the season, but only went on to make two more before leaving in January (TransferMarkt).
The English midfielder spent seven years in North London, racking up 269 appearances, scoring 67 goals and assisting another 61 (TransferMarkt).
The Telegraph reported that Everton will pay £10m to Spurs if and when Dele Alli makes 20 appearances for the Toffees. Other sources went on to reveal that the deal included add-ons that could take the price to as high as £33m (Fabrizio Romano).
Conte has now thanked Dele for the time they worked together, but is adamant his exit was the best decision for the player and the club.
He said (Football London): “With Dele, I think it was a good decision for the club and the player. I think Dele needed to have another experience and another challenge in his life.
“I want to thank him for the time we worked together but I think it was good for the club and the player to take this decision. Good luck to Dele and the other players who went on loan.”
Spurs Web Opinion:
It was definitely the right decision for all involved. I hope to see Dele rekindle his career at Everton. There will be no regret if he does either, because it just wasn’t going to happen at Tottenham. He needed a fresh start and a change of scene.