Dele Alli’s future at Tottenham is uncertain after being left out of a matchday squad for the second time in four days.
The 24-year-old was left out of Spurs’ matchday squad for their 5-2 win against Southampton on Sunday after also missing out on the Europa League trip to Lokomotiv Plovdiv on Thursday.
A number of clubs, including Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain, are interested in signing the England international midfielder in this transfer window.
Alli, whose contract in north London runs until 2024, was also substituted at half-time during his side’s home loss to Everton in their Premier League opener last week, with Jose Mourinho claiming he made the call “for the team, not against the player”.
Following the victory at St Mary’s, Mourinho said: “I’m not responsible for the market. I don’t know how to answer your question in relation to that. The only thing I can say is that I left eight players behind. They stayed and trained this morning because they are a big group and Dele (Alli) is amongst these players.
“You could see our team. I cannot start with all of them and I cannot have a bench without defenders or midfielders. In the same way the squad is a puzzle, the bench is also a little puzzle.”
The Spurs boss was asked if he wanted to keep Alli and said: “I want a balanced squad, that’s what I want.”
Mourinho was then asked if Alli could be part of a balanced squad, replying: “Yes. No he doesn’t need to be sacrificed, but the squad is a puzzle.”
(Sky Sports)
