Everton have completed the signing of Dele Alli from Tottenham, with the England midfielder becoming Frank Lampard’s second acquisition as Toffees manager.
Lampard was only officially confirmed as Everton’s manager on Monday, though the club have moved quickly to back the former Chelsea boss, whose initial task is to guide the Merseysiders away from the Premier League relegation scrap.
Donny van de Beek came in as Lampard’s first signing, with the Netherlands midfielder joining on loan from Manchester United for the rest of the season.
And Everton have further bolstered their midfield options by bringing in Alli, who has endured another frustrating season at Tottenham.
The transfer was not confirmed until more than an hour after the 23:00 GMT cut-off point for deals to go through in the Premier League, with Everton being granted extra time to finalise a deal after requesting permission.
It has been reported that the 25-year-old, who has agreed to a two-and-a-half-year deal at Goodison Park, could cost Everton up to £40million should various clauses be triggered.
“I’m delighted to have signed for Everton, a huge club with a great fanbase and history,” Alli said. “I’m eager to get started and can’t wait for my first game in an Everton shirt.
“I’m looking forward to helping the team and the opportunity to work with the new manager Frank Lampard.”
One of the brightest talents in the Premier League when he burst onto the scene under Mauricio Pochettino in 2015-16, Alli’s influence at Spurs has faded in recent seasons.
Alli scored 10 top-flight goals in his first season at Spurs, and improved that tally to 18 in 2016-17. He has not managed double figures in the league since, however, and went the entirety of last season without finding the net in the competition.
He was utilised in a three-man midfield by Nuno Espirito Santo at the start of the season, and scored from the penalty spot in a win over Wolves in August, though that is the only league goal he has managed in 657 minutes of action, and he has not featured regularly under Antonio Conte.
Yet Lampard is seemingly confident he can reinvigorate the former MK Dons player, who has also lost his place in Gareth Southgate’s England set up in recent seasons.
Alli joins an Everton side sitting in 16th place, just four points above the relegation places. Like Van de Beek, he is cup-tied for Lampard’s first match in charge against Brentford in the FA Cup on Saturday, but his debut could come against fellow strugglers Newcastle United on February 8.
