According to head coach Paul Warne, Dele Alli will not return to MK Dons but four clubs in Spain are keen to give him a lifeline.
Since then, the 29-year-old has been without a club have his contract Series A Page Como ended Beginning of September.
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The former Tottenham and Everton star only stayed in Italy for eight months and made just one appearance under Cesc Fabregas last season.
However, his first competitive appearance in 748 days ended after just nine minutes as he was shown a red card last March.
Having not played at all since joining Turkish club Besiktas in February 2023, Dele came on as a substitute in Como’s 2-1 defeat against AC Milan, but was sent off in stoppage time for a foul on his English teammate Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
As a result, he was sidelined by Como coach Fabregas and his 18-month contract was terminated last summer.
Reports from Italy claimed Dele considered retirement, but the 37-time England international soon dismissed those rumors.
Since then, the attacking midfielder has been linked with a return to MK Dons, the club where he made his professional debut at the age of 16.
‘No truth’ to Dele Alli, return to MK Dons
Dele scored 24 goals in 88 games for the Dons, who are currently just two points outside the automatic promotion places in League Two, before joining Spurs in 2015.
But EFL boss Warne dismissed those reports, telling the Citizen: “I haven’t heard anything about that.
“There is absolutely no truth to that unless I leave here and the owner pulls me aside!
“I haven’t heard anything, I haven’t spoken to him, we don’t know each other, we don’t have phone numbers, there’s no text message banter.
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“I didn’t see him on the training ground, he wasn’t asked to walk my dog!
“If you want to come here, it doesn’t matter if you’re one of the best players this club has ever had; you still have to try to get on my good side!”
“I don’t know who started this rumor, but it’s a crazy season.”
Dele is now back to the drawing board and planning his next move after enduring several challenges in his attempts to revive his career.
European football expert Andy Brassell told The Pitch Prospect.com exclusively that Como was simply completely the wrong club for him.
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“Dele in Italy should have worked”
Dele earned a reputation as one of England’s most promising young players at Spurs, winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award in both 2016 and 2017 before becoming an integral part of the team that reached the club’s only Champions League final in 2019.
But months after the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool, his manager Mauricio Pochettino left the Lilywhites and his career began to unravel.
He moved to Everton in 2022 but only made 13 appearances for the Toffees due to a series of injuries and off-field issues.
Before moving to Como, Dele had not played competitive football for almost two years, since appearing on loan at Besiktas in a 0-0 draw with Antalyaspor in February 2023.
In July this year, in an emotional interview with Gary Neville, he described his harrowing childhood trauma which stunted his rise, but when he signed for Como in January 2025 he appeared to be on the comeback path.
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“If you look at Dele in Italy, it should have worked or at least had a good chance of working,” Brassell told The Pitch Prospect.com.
“Because if you look at so many players who have gone off course in the Premier League, where they have been able to rebuild themselves in Italy over the last few years.
“I guess the difference is that he came out of an incredibly difficult personal situation and was under a lot of pressure. And he struggled with injuries for a long time.
“I think the other problem really is that Como was completely the wrong club for him because if you look at how Como is set up, Como is mainly young players.
“He was always signed as Nico Paz’s understudy. That’s what Cesc Fabregas said. Now Paz is one of the best players in the league and you can never get past him – so you never get a game.”
“So it’s really difficult. You have to find a mediocre place where you have a chance to play games.
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“And if you never make the team, how will you ever regain your optimal form and fitness?
“There was a glass ceiling for him that he obviously couldn’t get past.”
Dele Alli next club: LaLiga transfer?
Spanish football has been touted as a possible landing spot for Dele, who has played professionally in England, Turkey and Italy.
Real Oviedo (20th), Sevilla (15th), Elche (13th) and Getafe (17th) are all said to have been in contact to potentially offer a short-term contract.
Brassell added to The Pitch Prospect: “Now if we assume that Dele Alli was still interested and capable of becoming a top footballer, I think those clubs in Spain are reaching the level he should be playing at.”
“Of course, at his best, he could do a good job at any of them.
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“Now I think Sevilla is interesting because if you look at them, they are a club with enormous success in the 21st century.”
Sevilla is an “interesting” choice for Dele
“It’s a great place to play football,” Brassell continued. “The fans are brilliant. The stadium is brilliant. A bit old-fashioned but brilliant.”
“They are a long way from returning to Europe. I suppose this removes that pressure…”
“The kind of peace and quiet that you have, he didn’t really have that in Como, because Como is a lot of noise, it’s an interesting new project, they want to be very international and they’re succeeding in that.”
“And they have Cesc Fabregas at the helm. All these things mean he can’t really do what he’s had to do quietly.
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“Whereas I think if you look down at the other clubs, where you look at Elche or Getafe, where Mason Greenwood has obviously rebuilt himself under completely different circumstances and for completely different reasons.
“I think you’re going to be under less scrutiny, which might be helpful.”