Gary Neville says one Spurs player really ‘needs to sort himself out’

Wed 29 September 2021 6:15, UK

Spurs midfielder Dele Alli is a player who “had everything” but now needs to “sort himself out”, according to Gary Neville.

The 25-year-old has been a regular starter for most of his time at N17, but he has really struggled in recent years.

Last season, Alli struggled for game time under former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho.

Indeed, he was reportedly close to moving to PSG on loan in January.

Alli also dropped out of England contention, with Gareth Southgate omitting him from his last few squads and for Euro 2020.

This season, Nuno Espirito Santo reinstated Alli back to the starting XI, and he did well initially.

However, he barely made an impact against Arsenal at the weekend, and the Spurs boss took him off at half time.

Indeed, Neville used Alli’s situation as a cautionary tale for Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, two high-flying Arsenal academy graduates.

“Smith Rowe and Saka have been a joy,” Neville said on . “Everything Tottenham didn’t have, those two had in abundance.

“But if they want a warning sign they should look at Dele Alli.

Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images

“I had him with England three or four years ago and l would have said that he would go on to become one of the top midfielders this country has produced.

“He had everything. And now look at him. He was subbed at half-time (v Arsenal) and he’s a shadow of what he was in terms of application and work ethic.

“I said last year he needed a shock, but he needs to sort himself out, and I love him as a kid.”

Next up for Tottenham is a home match with NS Mura in the Europa Conference League on Thursday evening.

And on Sunday, Spurs return to Premier League action as Aston Villa come to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Gary Neville says one Spurs player really ‘needs to sort himself out’