Dele Alli has earned an unfavourable comparison to Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, with Gus Poyet suggesting that the Tottenham forward needs to dedicate more time to his game.
As a prominent figure in the Premier League ranks and a man with 35 England caps to his name, a star turn at Spurs attracts plenty of attention.
That comes both on and off the field, with the 23-year-old admired for his sporting ability while being followed on social media by millions.
Striking the right balance between professional and personal life is a struggle for some in the modern era.
World Cup winner Pogba has faced questions at times over a supposed lack of focus, with his antics away from the pitch considered to be an unwelcome distraction.
Alli is now being put into a similar category, with former Spurs star Poyet not convinced that he is playing to his full potential.
Another disappointing display was put in by a key figure in Mauricio Pochettino’s plans against Ajax on Tuesday, with plenty of criticism having been aimed in his direction on the back of a 1-0 defeat.
Poyet told talkSPORT of Alli: “Everyone was expecting a lot from him, especially without [Heung-min] Son
“I was one of the biggest critics of Dele Alli, because I think he’s got so much quality.
“Obviously in our time, we didn’t have all these sponsors, Instagram, the clothing brands and other things, but now there are many things that can take you away from football.
“I was one of the ones who said two or three years ago that I would love him just to concentrate on football, because he can become one of the best ever at Tottenham.
“Another one is Paul Pogba. Physically, technically, he’s got everything, but unfortunately for some reason there’s always a question mark over him.”
Pogba has continued to attract criticism at Manchester United this season in an ongoing struggle for consistency at club level.
Alli is facing similar questions, with his output having dipped considerably in the 2018-19 campaign to just seven goals and six assists across all competitions.