Inside the Battle to Take Dele Alli to Real Madrid

Dele Alli is one of the hottest properties in world football. It's not just elite clubs that have an eye on  him—superagents want to sign him, too.

The 21-year-old is talented and ambitious, and now that he has decided to split with his former agency, Impact Sports Management, football's most powerful men are circling with promises to help him reach the top of the game.

He won't be leaving Tottenham Hotspur just yet, but Mino Raiola and Jorge Mendes are both in the mix and willing to open the door to the likes of Real Madrid or Manchester United when he's ready for the next challenge.

But does he really need one of the biggest names looking after him? And what is his ultimate ambition?

I have been looking into Alli's current situation and the big decisions he has to make going forward.

Plotting His Own Career Path

Dan Mullan/Getty Images

Alli is one of the most self-assured 21-year-olds you could meet.

His natural ability has always allowed him to feel comfortable on the pitch, but away from the field he has always displayed equal confidence in interviews with senior national journalists or when mixing with older, more experienced, team-mates.

One player I spoke to described him as "relaxed, social and mischievous," and his fun nature is certainly a personality trait that has helped him become so popular.

In a professional sense, he is now taking his career into his own hands again. Dele's decision to split from his agent of the past six years, Rob Segal, opens the way to plot his own career path—and key to everything will be his best friend, Harry Hickford.

Hickford has been playing an ever-more influential role in key decisions and negotiations in Alli's career.

Alli trusts him implicitly and considers him a brother, having lived with the family since the age of 13. Former MK Dons player Hickford is young, still 21 himself, but he has Alli's back.

Pursued by the Superagents

JACK TAYLOR/Getty Images

Alli clearly has his feet on the ground, but his values will be tested by the fact Mendes and Raiola both want the chance to take him under their wing.

Raiola has the likes of Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in his stable, while Mendes boasts Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho in his armoury.

Both superagents are ready to make promises to help him reach the top of the game, whether that be an ambition to work a way into Manchester United, Real Madrid or anywhere else.

The stories surrounding both Raiola and Mendes will not be music to the ears of Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.

He is understood to be frustrated by the fact Alli, one of his star players, is now in a situation where agents are vying to sign him.

Other management companies, including Stellar Group, Wasserman and Base Soccer are going to look into whether they could represent Alli going forward.

Ultimately the best way for anyone to make money from him would be with a huge transfer away from the north London club.

The World's Most Valuable Players

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Levy got himself a bargain when he snapped up Alli two years ago from MK Dons at just £5 million.

He started the 2015/16 season and has never looked back, embracing the chance to prove himself at a higher level, and he is now considered one of the most valuable players on the planet.

Over the summer, a study by the CIES Football Observatory—which looks into players' values every six months—ranked him as the second most valuable footballer in the world (h/t Sky Sports).

Alli is safely heading in the right direction, with little worry about his long-term career, and right now he is loving his life at Spurs.

Sources are adamant he realises manager Mauricio Pochettino is the perfect mentor for this stage of his journey.

Although he is already on a five-year deal with Tottenham, it will be no surprise to see him agree improved terms this season.

He has opened early talks with the club about an increase on his current wage of around £50,000 per week, and he will be catapulted into the six-figure bracket alongside Kane by the time the World Cup comes around. Close pal Hickford is believed to be playing a role in the discussions.

But just because Alli is satisfied right now does not mean he is not highly motivated for an even bigger future.

The Lure of a Bigger Club

Alex Grimm/Getty Images

Alli has always shown an ability to rise to the occasion. He made his professional debut for MK Dons aged 16, his Premier League debut at 19, and he represented England at Euro 2016 aged 20.

Whatever is thrown at him, he responds in style. It is only natural that he wants to continue to be taken out of his comfort zone in later years too.

It's true that both United or Manchester City could become viable options in England in the future. But, from speaking to people close to Alli, it seems he harbours an ambition to end up in La Liga.

There is no rush to get there, but he is open to the idea of playing abroad. And in the current landscape Spain would be his preferred destination to really hit the big time.

His thoughts may be swayed towards a move in that direction given there are already noises coming out about Madrid's interest.

French giants Paris Saint-Germain have been keeping tabs too, but that does not have the same glamour or appeal.

And one club to rule out of the reckoning for the time being is Barcelona. Contacts close to the Catalan club's recruitment team suggest they have no interest in him.

Looking to the Future

IAN KINGTON/Getty Images

Don't worry Spurs fans: Alli is going nowhere for the time being. Along with Harry Kane, he is the poster boy for their move into the new stadium at the start of next season.

Spurs are adamant that any bid from any club will be rejected outright as it would send the wrong message about their ambition at such a key time in their history.

So, for the next two seasons, he will be wearing a Spurs shirt and striving for Premier League success.

But, as he approaches his mid-20s and continues the form he has been showing over the past two years, a chance to move on will become a huge talking point. And that's why Alli must manage this agent situation carefully.

Signing with a superagent could lead to obvious benefits in terms of wealth and status, but it may also mean he loses some of the control over how he wants to be portrayed.

From looking into this situation, there is actually a belief from many that Alli may resist the lure of Raiola or Mendes.

The fact is Alli may not need the help of a powerbroker to fulfil his career ambitions. When the time comes to make his next move, the likes of United, City and Madrid will either want him or they won't.

Alli will look into options of signing with other management agencies as both he and Hickford know how crucial good guidance can be.

But Alli is a special talent, an English gem who can become the face of his generation, and he has the chance to define his own future.

The modern game teaches us that money makes the world go round and player power comes in the shape of the man representing you by your side.

For Alli, maybe it is as simple as putting his faith in someone he already trusts, such as best friend Hickford.

And maybe the only big talk he needs to do is with his feet.