Where did Dele Alli's career go off track?

Dele Alli moved to Tottenham Hotspur in February 2015 for 5 million pounds. Right after the deal was done, the young player was loaned to MK Dons. He was only 18 at the time and played for the League One club. The club took a big risk with the young player through this transfer.

Alli far exceeded expectations when he made the step up to the Premier League. In his first season he scored 10 goals and provided 9 assists. He then won the PFA Young Player of the Year award two years in a row. Under Mauricio Pochettino's 4-2-3-1 system, his attacking partnership with Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Christian Eriksen made him a fan favourite. In this period, when Real Madrid were also interested in him, the star player's future looked bright.

The drop in form began in the 2018-19 season. Recurring hamstring injuries hurt his performance. After Pochettino left the club in November 2019, Jose Mourinho took over. Mourinho clearly reminded Alli of the importance of professional attitude. In a scene from the All or Nothing documentary, the player's tone and body language showed that he did not respond positively to the coach's warnings.

During Mourinho's time, Alli struggled to get game time and lost his place in the team. In 2021 the player said he did not blame anyone for what he had gone through and took full responsibility himself. The answer to why his career fell so quickly is sought in a combination of injuries and disciplinary issues.