Jose Mourinho’s Words Resurface as Dele Alli Considers Retirement at 29
- Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli is reportedly considering retirement at 29
- Cesc Fabregas has deemed him surplus to requirements as he is no longer in his plans at Como
- His former manager, Jose Mourinho, warned that he could regret it if he doesn't actualise his potential
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Jose Mourinho's words have resurfaced after reports emerged that Dele Alli is considering retirement at the age of 29 after failing to revive his career at Como.
Dele Alli was one of the brightest English prospects during his early days at Tottenham Hotspur and was named the PFA Young Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017.
Source: Getty Images
His career has taken a downward turn since 2019, after Tottenham played in the UEFA Champions League final, which they lost to Liverpool.
He failed to turn it around at Tottenham and was sold to fellow Premier League side Everton, where he also struggled and spent time on loan at Besiktas.
Alli was without a club for 18 months after his contract with Everton expired in June 2024, before joining Serie A club Como on an 18-month deal.
He featured in only one game, playing only 10 minutes. He was an 81st-minute substitute against AC Milan and was sent off after a rash tackle on fellow Englishman Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Cesc Fabregas has informed the English midfielder that he is not in his plans for next season and is training alone.
The report added that one of English football’s brightest youngsters at his best is now considering retirement at the age of 29.
When Jose Mourinho warned Dele Alli
Jose Mourinho managed Tottenham Hotspur from November 2019 to April 2021 and was the first to call out Alli for his work ethic in training.
The player hardly got minutes during Mourinho's time, and the two frequently clashed in training and the media.
The Special One delivered brutally honest advice to the midfielder during Tottenham’s Amazon Prime documentary All or Nothing.
“I am 56 now, and yesterday, yesterday I was 20. Know what I mean? And today I'm 56, time flies. Time flies, and I think one day, I think you will regret it if you don't reach what you can reach,” Mourinho said.
Source: Getty Images
“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 just want to tell you that I think you will regret it.
“You should demand more from you, not me demanding more from you. Not me, nobody, you. I think you should demand more from you.”
According to Daily Mail, Dele Alli admitted he fell out of love with football and considered retiring at 24, though he failed to blame Mourinho for his situation at Tottenham.
A UK-based Nigerian journalist believes Mourinho gave honest advice to Alli, but wouldn't have wanted to be proven right.
“I'm certain that Mourinho, wherever he is right now, isn't happy he was proven right. He gave the advice from a place of concern and experience, not some gotcha prediction,” he told Legit.ng.
“There's hardly a way back for Alli right now, and it applies to all walks of life. If you have others demanding more from you than you demand from yourself, you will regret it.”
Mourinho spots flaw in Osimhen's game
Legit.ng previously reported that Mourinho named a flaw in Osimhen’s game after the Super Eagles forward joined Galatasaray in 2024.
Mourinho faced Osimhen during their time together with AS Roma and Napoli in Italy, and reignited their rivalry with Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.
Source: Legit.ng
