Young Dele Alli Is the Wildcard in Tottenham Hotspur's Future

In Mauricio Pochettino's 18 months as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, he has reshaped his team drastically. 

Gone are the old, highly paid veterans like Emmanuel Adebayor and Younes Kaboul. In their place stand a handful of academy graduates and youngsters signed on potential more than proven quality. 

Tottenham have the youngest team in England's top flight and one of the most youthful in all of European football. 

Players like Harry Kane, Eric Dier and Ryan Mason have emerged from the relative obscurity of the Spurs academy system to become full England internationals in a remarkably short time. 

Full-backs Danny Rose and Kyle Walker are, at 25, among the older players in the squad. 

Pochettino's willingness to back talented young players to succeed despite their inexperience marks him out from his peers in the Premier League. 

The Argentinian has been rewarded by his young, British core with consistent performances and a buoyant campaign both in domestic and European competitions. 

The youngest regular member of Spurs' side has also emerged as one of the most exciting. 

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

Dele Alli is still only a teenager, but he is rapidly becoming a household name. 

His sensational goal against France would have stolen the headlines if not for the more significant context of the fixture. 

It certainly emerged as the major talking point from action on the field and that obscured his equally impressive contribution to England's second goal.

The 19-year-old dispossessed Juventus star Paul Pogba in midfield before playing Raheem Sterling into space down the left flank. The Manchester City man crossed for Wayne Rooney to score, but it was Alli that made the goal. 

The display against France was typical of the exciting, rounded performances that he has regularly been giving in Tottenham's first team. 

The former MK Dons player has emerged as the perfect partner for the similarly impressive Dier at the heart of Spurs' midfield. While the 21-year-old is strictly a defensive force, Alli contributes with and without the ball. 

His aggressive pressing and keen tackling alleviate the pressure on Dier as the primary ball-winner by cutting down passing options. 

Once possession is won, Alli's dynamism marks him out as a unique talent. He breaks forward ferociously and helps create overloads, forcing defenders into difficult decisions and taking attention away from his team-mates. 

His confidence with the ball at his feet—and the skill he possesses to back it up—make him a devastating force in one-on-one situations. 

Alli is an excellent player, but it is his ability to contribute strongly in both attacking and defending that makes him such a vital player. Already, he is integral to the way Tottenham play. 

The teenager's potential ceiling is remarkably high. He's quick, strong and skillful while possessing a sharp footballing mind and an engine that would put Didier Zokora to shame. 

As if designed for Premier League football, Alli has adapted rapidly and is quickly becoming one of Pochettino's most important players. 

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Alli makes the players around him better. Spurs' backline is performing at a consistently high level in part because of how well the teenager is playing in midfield. 

Dier's aptitude for central midfield became clear before Alli was appointed as his partner, but his game has developed quickly alongside the teenager. 

Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela's creative contributions have been given a major helping hand by Alli's ability to create space for them with his athleticism. 

As the team Pochettino has built continues to mature around Alli, it will also help lift him. 

With a return to the Champions League firmly back on the agenda at White Hart Lane, Alli's star is rising at the perfect time. 

England's European Championship campaign in 2016 will provide another opportunity for him to excel under the brightest lights. 

When Alli shone for MK Dons, it was reasonable to temper expectations. As well as he played in the 4-0 League Cup win over Manchester United in August last year, he had not yet been regularly tested against seasoned internationals. That is no longer the case. 

Of course, Alli is still just 19. Of course, he has not yet played a full season in the Premier League. 

However, as Alli easily clears every hurdle laid out by his critics, it is becoming more and more difficult to doubt that Tottenham have a budding superstar in their midfield.