Dele Alli Transfer Rumours: Latest News as Tottenham Deadline Day Deal Looms

MK Dons’ young midfielder Dele Alli is one of the brightest young prospects in the lower reaches of the Football League, and Tottenham Hotspur have landed his signature.

The club confirmed the deal via its Twitter account:

Tottenham noted that the player would go back on loan to MK Dons, something that boss Karl Robinson was insistent on when speaking with Sky Sports’ Goals on Sunday (h/t Chris Davie of Goal.com)

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The big stumbling block in a transfer fee will be that we will want him back immediately on loan.

If you’re looking at how to structure a deal, initial fee, add-ons, and percentage of a sell-on [fee], one of the things I will request is that he comes back to play.

[...]

He can certainly hold his own [in the Premier League] but I think he needs to keep playing with us because he’ll play every week for 90 minutes.

"

Clive Mason/Getty Images

Sami Mokbel of the MailOnline claims that the Spurs’ interest in the player comes after both Newcastle United and Aston Villa made offers for the 18-year-old. According to the piece, the Magpies were poised to land the midfielder in a £5 million deal, but it seems Mauricio Pochettino’s men have jumped to the head of the queue.

Mokbel also claimed that the location of Spurs is a big factor in the player's decision:

Earlier in the season, James Masters of CNN paid tribute to the abilities of the teenage midfielder:

Spurs have had obvious success developing young British players—the ascension of Gareth Bale being the obvious example—and that’s something that will surely appeal to Alli as he plots his next move. Manager Mauricio Pochettino has also showcased a willingness to give young players a chance during his time in charge of Tottenham and Southampton.

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The important thing for Alli is getting minutes at this stage of the season, and that’s why it would be little surprise to see him loaned back for MK Dons for the remainder of the campaign. After all, playing at the heart of the League One side—notching 12 goals in 32 appearances so far this season, per Bernstein’s piece—has been a real catalyst for his stellar development.