From £100m to training in the fourth tier: Dele Alli wants another chance | OneFootball

Football is offering Dele Alli a new chance to start over. Once considered one of the brightest prospects in English football and at one point valued at €100 million by Transfermarkt, he is now without a club and could return to training thanks to a fourth-tier English side.

Barnet, of League Two, has opened the doors of its first team to the 30-year-old midfielder, who has been away from official competition for more than a year.

More than a year without playing

Alli’s last official appearance came in March 2025, during his debut for Como. The Englishman came onto the pitch and was sent off just a few minutes later.

Months later, his link with the Italian side came to an end, and he has remained a free agent ever since.

In recent weeks, Alli had been using Barnet’s facilities to train on his own while trying to regain his fitness. Now, the London club has offered him the chance to work alongside the first team.

“If Dele wants to join, our doors are open. He can use it to get fit and train with the group,” explained Barnet manager Dean Brennan.

“Everyone deserves a second chance”

Brennan even compared the situation to that of Paolo Di Canio, who was given an opportunity by Harry Redknapp after a difficult spell.

“He’s a footballer going through a difficult time. There are obviously some issues that have prevented him from being signed. If I can do a Harry Redknapp and bring him back into football, like he did with Paolo Di Canio in 1993 after his 11-match ban for pushing a referee, I have no problem with that. Everyone deserves a second chance in life,” he said.

The coach made it clear that the invitation does not necessarily mean a contract, but rather an opportunity for Alli to regain rhythm and return to training in a professional environment.

From Tottenham star to searching for a new beginning

Alli’s story stands in contrast to the enormous potential he showed during his best years.

With Tottenham, he played 269 matches and became one of the standout young figures in English football. In 2018, Transfermarkt valued him at €100 million.

However, his career began to lose momentum after leaving London. He later had spells with Everton, Besiktas, and Como, although across all those clubs he managed to play only 29 matches.

His sporting decline was also accompanied by personal problems. In recent years, the player himself has spoken publicly about his struggles with addiction and the sexual abuse he suffered during childhood.

Now, at 30, Alli has an unexpected opportunity: to return to training with a fourth-tier English club in an attempt to find the path again that once made him one of England’s most highly valued footballers.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.