Dele could leave Everton for good as Premier League legend offers new hope

Ex-Arsenal and Chelsea star, and current Como boss, Cesc Fabregas said Dele could start training with the Serie A side after the midfielder was present at their win over Roma

Dele Alli could be set to move to Italy with Serie A side Como. The former England international has been out of contract since his Everton deal expired in the summer but has been training with the club during efforts to overcome long-term fitness issues.

Dele has not played competitive football since his loan spell with Turkish side Besiktas ended with injury towards the end of the 2022/23 season. His final appearance for Everton was under Frank Lampard at the start of that campaign before he was loaned out.

He is currently unable to represent the club’s under-21s while he is not registered as a Blues player.

READ MORE: ‘I owe a lot’ – Armando Broja makes admission over Everton transfer and striker battleREAD MORE: Everton face new Jarrad Branthwaite injury concern as three players set to miss Chelsea

Dele is yet to reach that stage of his rehabilitation from a problematic set of injuries that started with the need for surgery on an issue in the groin area.

A series of setbacks have prevented him from becoming available for Sean Dyche, though the Everton manager has spoken highly of him throughout their time together.

The Blues have engaged extensively with Dele’s former club Tottenham Hotspur over the terms of the deal that saw him move to Merseyside in order to smooth the way for a new contract should his progress get him to that stage.

A muscle strain hampered those efforts in Autumn and Dyche recently confirmed the players had suffered another minor issue, though Dele shared encouraging footage of him completing training drills last week.

The 28-year-old was present in the stands as Como secured a late win over Roma on Sunday, whose owners, The Friedkin Group, are expected to win approval to take over Everton this week.

Dele was not the only big name in the stands – Hollywood royalty including Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender and Adrien Brody were also present.

But following the match, Como manager Cesc Fabregas confirmed the club was exploring the potential for Dele to undergo training with his side.

The former Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona and Spain midfielder said: “I don’t want to talk about that, now let’s enjoy this victory. He could train with us after Christmas to find his form but tonight we’ll talk about Como.”

According to Sky Sport Italia, the Friedkins were left ‘furious’ by Roma’s defeat and deemed the performance ‘unacceptable’. The defeat left I Giallorossi 12th in Serie A, two points above the relegation places.