Dele Alli in line for sensational return to former club as 37-cap England international steps up comeback bid

According to Neil Goulding of SportsBoom, MK Dons want to bring Dele back for a second spell, believing he could aid their bid for promotion in League Two. The Dons are currently sixth in the table and only three points outside of the automatic promotion spots. 

It is said that Dele "has not given up playing at a higher level" after his exit from Como five months ago, and he has reportedly received offers from four clubs in La Liga, but the 29-year-old has yet to make a firm decision on his next move. 

Dele graduated from the MK Dons academy in 2012, and went on to make 88 appearances for the club, scoring 24 goals and playing a key role in their promotion to the Championship in 2015. He then joined Tottenham, where he quickly became a household name, winning back-to-back PFA Young Player of the Year awards in his first two seasons.

On the international stage, Dele was a regular starter for England at both Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, but his career took a major nosedive after he departed Spurs in 2022. He struggled for form and fitness in subsequent stints at Everton and Besiktas, and couldn't make the most of a lifeline handed to him by Cesc Fabregas at Como, making just one appearance for the Italian club - in which he was shown a red card. 

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Former MK Dons boss Roberto Di Matteo witnessed Dele's talent up close when he was still an academy star, and has been alarmed by his fall from grace. Speaking to GOAL after Dele's departure from Como, Di Matteo said: "From the outside it’s difficult to make an assessment. I don’t know what’s going on with him personally. He was at such a high and somehow, something changed with him in his personal life. It’s difficult. It’s just a shame that we have lost one of the young, bright, English talents. I don’t know what he needs to climb up the ladder again. It’s difficult. I just wish he finds it as soon as possible so he can enjoy his football, his life again, and have a good time."

Dele has been working hard on the training pitch with elite coaching service 'Refined by CP' while he mulls over his options, posting regular updates on his progress for fans on social media. It remains to be seen, though, if he would be open to dropping down to League Two, or indeed if MK Dons submit a formal offer.

In April last year, the former Spurs talisman confirmed he was still targeting an England recall in time for the 2026 World Cup, but it would take a miracle for him to force his way into Thomas Tuchel's plans now, regardless of where he ends up next.