Dele Alli serves as Jadon Sancho warning after Man Utd, Chelsea & Aston Villa struggles - with free agent England winger set ‘adversity’ challenge

Ex-Tottenham ace Dele - who was once considered to be one of the finest goal-scoring midfielders on the planet - has been without a club since being released by Serie A side Como in September 2025. He made just one substitute appearance during his time in Italy.

Various landing spots for the 30-year-old have been mooted - including Wrexham, Birmingham and Swansea, who all have A-list stars on their respective boards - but no deal has been done. League Two side Barnet are the latest to have been credited with interest. Dele needs to find minutes somewhere if his fading career is to be salvaged.

Sancho also needs to attract enticing offers, with the 26-year-old winger still without a club at the first international break of 2026-27. He has tumbled a long way in a relatively short period of time, having moved to Old Trafford in 2021 - alongside Portuguese GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo - for £73 million ($97m). The ex-Borussia Dortmund forward was allowed to leave for nothing.

Somebody may be willing to take a calculated gamble on Sancho, as he reportedly opens himself up to a fresh start outside of England, but Dele is proof of how quickly talent can be forgotten.

Ex-Villa midfielder Houghton - who saw Sancho spend the 2025-26 campaign on loan in the West Midlands and was speaking in association with IrishBetting.ie - told GOAL when asked if Dele acts as a warning to another fallen star: “That's very true. You look at Dele, MK Dons, comes to Spurs, everything's flying and then boom, what's happened?

“He's not become a bad player, it's just the mentality, what's happened to the mentality? And that's when you're hoping he's getting the right help and the people are talking to him in the right way, try to reassure him and then it's up to you, as a player it's up to you.

“There might be adversity in your life. I was at West Ham for three years, my first club, I got released, I'd just come off the back of scoring 19 goals in the reserves, I've had an outstanding season, I've now been told I'm not good enough. Most youngsters would have not been seen again, finished, because they wouldn't have got over that hurdle but you've got to have belief in yourself and you're the one that can change it.

“People can help you, of course there are psychologists, good friends around you to support you, but at the end of the day it's up to you, you've got to be the one that's got to be the driving force, you've got to say, ‘well you know what, I'm going to prove you wrong, I'm going to prove everyone of you who's doubted me that I can do it and that's what I'm going to do’.

“They've still got that opportunity, it’s still in front of them, they're still young enough men to do that, still got enough years in their career to go out there and show what they can do. We all wish them the very best. I want them to succeed, I want our leagues to be brilliant, I want our football to be great, I want to go and watch players playing to their very best potential because that's what excites you.”

Dele’s last competitive appearance - under former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas - came on March 15, 2025. He lasted less than 10 minutes off the bench before picking up a red card against AC Milan.

Sancho lifted a trophy at the end of his most recent outing, having featured for Villa in the 2026 Europa League final, but is having to be patient while mulling over his options at an important career crossroads.