Former Salford boss Karl Robinson believes Dele Alli is ‘still a talent’ but cannot afford to waste another opportunity.
Alli has not appeared in a competitive fixture since March last year, although that ended in despair.
Making his comeback for Como after nearly 750 days in the cold, Alli came on in the 81st minute but was sent off less than 10 minutes later.
It proved to be his only appearance for Cesc Fabregas’ side.
But Alli is now attempting to get his career back on track once again, with reports claiming he is training at Championship side West Ham United.
And Robinson, who bumped into Alli in Marbella whilst the latter was put through his paces during a pre-season camp, believes the 37-time England international still has plenty to give.
However, Robinson was quick to warn that given Alli’s time away from football, he cannot be expected to return to the levels he’s previously shown straight away.
The ‘tell-tale sign’ whether Alli is ready to return
“I had about an hour just chatting to him, just bumped into him really,” Robinson told Alan Brazil and Ray Parlour on talkSPORT Breakfast.
“We spoke just about football in general, about how well he feels and how he wants to get himself back playing and how he seeks an opportunity.
“I think the problem you have in the modern world is social media governs an awful lot of our perception of them as a human being, first and foremost. We forget the fact he was and still is a talent.
“I think being away from football for so long, he was saying before about a pre-season, being away from a training ground for six weeks, it can be difficult to come back in and hit the ground running.
“Somebody who’s not played competitive football for probably over 12 months, that’s going to be the tell-tale sign. When he goes back over that white line with an actual match shirt, to see where he’s actually at.”
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Even though Alli may still have magic in his feet, Robinson acknowledged the attacking midfielder is very much in last chance saloon territory.
Robinson: It’s all down to Alli now
He believes West Ham are fully aware of Alli’s enduring talent and it is not too late for the ex-Tottenham man to revive his career in the Championship.
“Now, he’s had multiple chances to get himself back playing, so you can’t blame everybody else,” Robinson continued.
“You’ve got to look at yourself, first and foremost.
“And at the end of the day, if he is given this opportunity and he goes in to West Ham and hits the ground running, they know they’re going to have such a talented footballer. But that’s down to him. It’s not down to anybody else now.
“I think it’s about him just putting his boots back on and doing something that he loves.”
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Should Alli be offered a deal at West Ham, it would mark the first time he has appeared in the Championship following the Hammers’ relegation from the top flight.
He began his career with MK Dons in League One before joining Tottenham in February 2015.
Alli spent six-and-a-half years in north London before he joined Everton.
But since he moved to the Toffees, Alli has played a total of 29 competitive fixtures in four-and-a-half years.
The Hammers begin their 2026/27 season on Saturday with a Carabao Cup first round fixture against Portsmouth, with talkSPORT providing live coverage from 1pm.
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