EFL boss says ‘doors are open’ to Dele Alli as former England midfielder pushes for a return to football
Former England midfield man Dele Alli has been a free agent for the last year but has been aiming to keep himself fit in an effort to revive his career.
Alli left Serie A upstarts Como last autumn after making a single appearance under Cesc Fabregas, the latest in a string of abortive moves since leaving Tottenham Hotspur in 2022.
The 30-year-old spent seven years at Spurs after joining from Milton Keynes Dons in 2018 as one of the most exciting young prospects in English football.
Dele Alli is training at Barnet
He recently shared a video of himself training alone at the facilities of League Two outfit Barnet, where manager Dean Brennan has unexpectedly raised the possibility of the unsigned star taking his programme a step further.
Speaking to Alan Brazil and Gabby Agbonlahor on talkSPORT, Brennan extended an offer to Alli that he might very well be interested in taking up.
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“Our facilities are available to rent,” explained the Bees boss when asked about Alli training at The Hive.
“We don’t live in Disneyland down at our level so our lads have to pay their bills, pay their mortgage and we don’t get 10,000, 20,000 [on the gate] a game. So renting our facilities out was part of the business process at our place and it looks like Dele’s done just that.
“I’ll take him all day long. You would be mad not to take him. He’s a serious footballer and look, he’s going through a real tough time. There’s obviously some kind of issue why people haven’t taken him on. Everyone deserves a second chance in life.
“At our football club we have lots of lads that train with us that are out of contract and if Dele wants to come train with us the doors are open. He can use us to get fit and train with the group.”
Barnet are the unbeaten leaders of the fourth tier after seven matches. Their games against Crawley Town and York City over the next two Saturdays have both been postponed due to international call-ups.
Alli hasn’t played competitively since he was sent off on his single, brief appearance for Como against AC Milan in March 2025.
The former Everton midfielder, who has 37 senior caps for England, had signed for Fabregas’ side two months earlier on what was originally an 18-month contract.
He was released and left the Italian team last September, and has yet to secure a new club.
