Aston Villa should target a move for Tottenham outcast Dele Alli this summer amid Gabby Agbonlahor’s transfer claim.
What’s the story?
The England international has struggled for first team football in the Premier League this season, playing just 232 minutes in the competition.
Agbonlahor has now thrown Villa’s name into the hat amid suggestions that Daniel Levy would be willing to let the midfielder go for around £25m.
Should Villa sign Dele Alli?
Yes!
No!
When asked whether the £100,000-a-week earning Spurs man should be someone in whom Villa are interested this summer, the 34-year-old said: “100 per cent. I just don’t see Spurs letting him go for that amount of money, to be honest. He’s still young. Daniel Levy will want more than that. If that was the fee, I’d definitely expect Aston Villa to go for him. I think he’d be perfect for Aston Villa in that number 10 role.”
Imagine him and Grealish
Alli has undeniably had a wretched season with Spurs this year, struggling to convince Jose Mourinho that he should be a part of his starting line-up.
That perhaps makes it easy to forget just how much ability the 24-year-old possesses, and just how recently he was tearing up the Premier League as one of the division’s elite attacking midfielders.
His overall record at Spurs is outstanding, scoring 65 times in 244 games and providing a further 59 assists, so it’s no surprise that former Lilywhites man Darren Anderton has waxed lyrical about what he brings on the pitch.
He said: “Dele Alli for his age is just a freak of a talent. I love his arrogance on the pitch, how clever he is in finding the positions that he does and his willingness to try everything. He is a real joy to watch.”
Someone like Jack Grealish would surely love to play with Alli, who makes third-man runs late into the box and could offer another runner in behind opposition defences for the Villa talisman to pick out at will.
Having Alli would lessen the burden on both Grealish and Ollie Watkins to set up and score goals, with the Spurs star showing in previous seasons that he’s more than capable of doing both.
It’s exactly why Villa could strike gold this summer if they secure his services.
Meanwhile, Villa must sell this first team ace in the summer…