icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
20 Sep, 2020 14:40

Alli out? PSG reportedly open talks with Spurs as star snubbed again by Jose Mourinho

Alli out? PSG reportedly open talks with Spurs as star snubbed again by Jose Mourinho

French giants Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly opened talks with Tottenham Hotspur to sign Dele Alli, who was left out of a second consecutive matchday squad by manager Jose Mourinho on Sunday.

According to The Telegraph, PSG have made contact with the north London outfit in the hopes of snapping up the midfielder before the transfer window closes on October 5.

The interest comes amid back-to-back absences from Alli in Spurs’ last two matches.

Alli was hauled off at half-time in Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Everton in the opening weekend of the Premier League season and has not featured since.

The England international was left out of Spurs’ UEFA Europa League squad against Lokomotiv Plovdiv on Thursday, and he was not included in their roster for Sunday’s 5-2 destruction of Southampton, either.

Also on rt.com Four-play: Son Heung-min & Harry Kane set remarkable Premier League record as Spurs demolish Southampton

Per Goal, Mourinho was asked by Premier League Productions if Alli’s absence against the Saints was due to an injury.

“No, we have a huge squad with numbers that are very difficult to manage,” he said. “I never had it, I don't want to have it and it's not easy for me to be here with 18 players and to have 10 training at the training ground.

“Too many players, so I start with Son, with Lucas [Moura], with Harry [Kane]. On the bench, I still have Moussa Sissoko, [Erik] Lamela, [Steven] Bergwijn. We have too many players for some positions and some of them are paying the price of this.”

After the game, Mourinho said Alli would “probably” play against Leyton Orient in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. 

When asked if he wants to keep him, Mourinho replied: “I want a balanced squad.”

The Portuguese coach subsequently confirmed Alli can be in a balanced squad and that “he doesn’t have to be sacrificed” for that to be achieved.

RT

On Saturday, Spurs confirmed the return of Gareth Bale to the club on loan from Real Madrid, so Alli will have even more competition for a place at Tottenham going forward.

According to reports, the north London outfit are also interested in signing Jesse Lingard from Manchester United in a £30 million deal, although Russian champions Zenit St. Petersburg are also said to be interested. 

Mourinho’s comments seemingly pour cold water on rumors of new arrivals in that area of the pitch, and there wouldn’t be much logic in replacing Alli with Lingard anyway, even if Alli’s form has dipped in recent years.

Lingard’s best season at United did come under Mourinho in 2017-18, as he contributed 13 goals and seven assists. However, in the two subsequent campaigns he has produced a combined total of nine goals and six assists in all competitions, the same figures Alli managed last season alone.

A new start at PSG could give Alli the chance to rediscover his best form, though, as well as adding silverware to his CV.

Since the 24-year-old arrived at Tottenham in 2015, PSG have won 17 trophies including four Ligue 1 titles, and they also reached the UEFA Champions League final last season. 

Also on rt.com Proving his worth: Despite his staggering success at Real Madrid, Gareth Bale needs to earn his Spurs again in the Premier League

Podcasts
0:00
26:13
0:00
24:57