Theory on what caused Dele Alli's dramatic downfall as he gets transfer lifeline

Dele Alli's contract with Como has been cut short after a nightmare stint, and one of his old Spurs team-mates has offered an insight into what may have caused his downfall

Dele Alli's football career has been handed a potential lifeline after having his contract at Como torn up. The 29-year-old joined the Serie A side on a free transfer in January after penning an 18-month deal as he looked to breathe new life into his faltering career.

However, the ex-Tottenham midfielder had a nightmare debut when he received his marching orders less than ten minutes after entering the pitch as a substitute during Cesc Fabregas' team's 2-1 loss to AC Milan at the San Siro in March. Dele was subsequently sidelined at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia before his contract was terminated by mutual agreement last week.

The former England star's career has taken a nosedive in recent years following unsuccessful stints at Everton, Besiktas, and most recently, Como. Three Championship sides, though, including Wrexham, Birmingham City, and West Brom, are reportedly willing to offer him a fresh start.

The prospect of Dele dropping into the second tier would once have been unthinkable following his rapid rise to stardom with Spurs at the start of his career. He was hailed as one of Europe's most promising young talents at the time, leaving fans scratching their heads over his decline.

Dele's former Tottenham teammate Kieran Trippier previously provided a theory on the catalyst for his downfall. Trippier, who played with Dele at Spurs before moving to Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019, believes Mauricio Pochettino's departure from the club in November of the same year was the main trigger.

The defender discussed Dele's struggles during an appearance on the Undr The Cosh podcast in 2022 and was quick to point out Pochettino's significant influence.

"Poch was brilliant with Dele to be fair and Dele was flying at Tottenham," Trippier said. "It's one of those where I left and went to Atletico Madrid... but even during my last season there he was flying. He's a great lad, but Poch was brilliant with him."

Dele previously opened up on how injuries, addiction and mental health problems have also contributed to his downturn in fortunes. He experienced the pinnacle of his career under Pochettino after moving to Tottenham from his childhood club MK Dons in the summer of 2015.

He found immediate success, netting 32 goals in his first two seasons at White Hart Lane. Dele's outstanding performances under Pochettino earned him consecutive PFA Young Player of the Year accolades in 2016 and 2017, but his form plummeted following the Argentine manager's dismissal in November 2019.

His successor Jose Mourinho attempted to revive Dele's career, but was unsuccessful. His efforts to encourage him were highlighted in the documentary series, Tottenham: All or Nothing.

During one memorable scene, Mourinho told Dele: "I am 56 now, and yesterday, yesterday, I was 20. In no time. Time flies. One day, I think you will regret if you don't reach what you can reach.

"I'm not expecting you to be the man of the match every game, I'm not expecting you to score goals every game. I want to tell you that I think you will regret. You should demand more from you. Not me demanding more from you. Not me. Nobody. You. I think you should demand more from you."

Mourinho's words failed to spark the desired response as Dele managed just one Premier League goal between August 2020 and January 2022 before Spurs let him leave to join Everton on a free transfer. However, his experience in front of the cameras could stand him in good stead if he joins Wrexham.

The Welsh side, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, have become a global phenomenon since the two actors bought the club in 2021. Their success has been in no small part thanks to the Welcome to Wrexham documentary on Disney+, showcasing their rapid rise from the National League to the Championship.

Birmingham, part-owned by NFL legend Tom Brady, also launched their own docuseries on Amazon Prime earlier this summer. West Brom might be the best option for Dele, though, if he'd rather avoid the limelight and focus solely on getting his career back on track.