Revealed: Everton's 'behind-closed-doors' plan to test Dele Alli's fitness before deciding whether to offer former England star a new contract

Per The Guardian, Everton plan to arrange several behind-closed-doors matches so they can test Dele's fitness. The 28-year-old is training with the club despite his contract expiring at the end of the season, and is continuing to recover from groin surgery. Indeed, he would like to remain on Merseyside, and has been working hard throughout the summer.

In his time at Everton, Dele started just one match, and was loaned to Besiktas in Turkey. He has not played for over a year due to his injury woes, and Sean Dyche has confirmed he will follow a "games programme" to build up, and attempt to prove, his fitness.

Dyche told reporters: “We honestly haven’t gone that far with him as a player, that’s for sure. The club have outlined ‘what ifs?’ but with the player I’ve just said, and I have maintained this, that the first thing is just to get back out there, running freely, playing, training and all that side of things. We will have to wait and see on that.

“He is close but not there yet. And don’t forget he’s hardly had any actual football – as in games – for a long time. There is a games programme still, as well. It’s not just a case of getting fit and running around with the first-team group, then he needs games, so therefore a games programme has got to come next. When you’ve been out that long you need a period of building up and getting to true fitness. That could take three or four games. It’s a bit like an extended pre-season, let’s say.”

Everton start their Premier League campaign against Brighton on Saturday. The club finished 15th last season and will be hopeful of avoiding another relegation battle.