Dele Alli trains with Windsor & Eton as free agent after year out
Dele Alli, the 30‑year‑old former Engels international with 37 caps, has been without a club since September 2025 and was spotted training on Monday at Windsor & Eton, an eighth‑tier English side, after the player who once delivered a notorious tackle on AA Gent.
Alli trains with eighth‑tier Windsor & Eton
Jordi De Koninck Sport reported that the former England midfielder has had to maintain his own fitness for more than thirteen months, as no new contract materialised during that period. He has been training individually, a routine forced on a player who has been clubless for over a year. The lack of a team has left him to organise his own sessions on the training pitches of Windsor & Eton.
“It was wonderful to let Dele use the fields for a day,” the club wrote on its X account. “We hope to see him back at the top soon.” The statement underlines the rarity of a former €100 million‑valued player appearing at this level.
From Premier League star to journeyman
Voor Tottenham, Alli arrived in 2015 from MK Dons and quickly became a key attacking midfielder. He was twice voted Premier League Young Player of the Year and started the 2019 Champions League final against Liverpool. At the 2018 World Cup he featured as a starter for England.
During his spell at Tottenham he amassed 269 appearances, scoring 67 goals and providing 59 assists, often linking up with Harry Kane. Those figures illustrate the high‑level output that once made him a household name. The partnership with Kane was a hallmark of the club’s attacking play.
After leaving Tottenham, Alli moved to Everton, which subsequently loaned him to Besiktas for a season, a stint that yielded little impact. In January 2025 he signed for Como in Serie A, but his debut was marred by a straight red card for a reckless challenge on AC Milan. The Italian adventure quickly turned into another disappointment.
The March 2017 tackle on AA Gent’s Brecht Dejaeghere remains vivid in the memory of a Belgian fan, who still recalls the severity of the foul. That incident has become a reference point when discussing Alli’s career trajectory.
In a darker footnote, the farewell match for Lionel Messi saw the opponent Benin travel 25 hours, partly without hot water and earning almost nothing, highlighting the stark contrasts in football’s financial landscape.