José Mourinho 'Convinced' Dele Alli Will Remain at Tottenham
By Tom Gott
Tottenham manager José Mourinho has dismissed rumours linking midfielder Dele Alli with an exit this summer, insisting he is 'convinced' the Englishman is going nowhere.
Alli was omitted from Spurs' last two matchday squads and is believed to have grown frustrated with his situation. Spurs are understood to be open to the idea of letting Alli leave on loan, with Paris Saint-Germain leading the race for his signature.
A previous report suggested Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was ready to play hardball over Alli's future, demanding a huge fee to let him go, but speaking to Sky Sports News, Mourinho did his best to definitively put an end to the rumours.
"I believe [he will stay]," Mourinho said. "I can even say that I'm convinced that he will be."
Alli has been recalled to the squad for Thursday's Europa League tie with Macedonian side Shkëndija and Mourinho added that the midfielder must take the opportunity to prove himself after an inconsistent few years at the club.
"We all know since Dele arrived from MK Dons he had ups and downs, he had fabulous periods and he also had other periods where he disappeared from top-level performances," he explained. "And with me it's no different than before. He's had moments where he was so good, but he also had moments where he was not so good.
"I think this lack of consistency, it's normal that when you are in great form you play because you deserve it and your production is big for the team, but when you are not in a good moment you don't play - and it's as simple as that.
"The players have to prove on the pitch with their performances; they have to prove how good they are in that specific moment.
"He is selected [for Thursday] but there is no decision yet about starting or being on the bench, but when he's selected he has a chance to play. If he's on the pitch one minute or 90 minutes he has to show us - it's that simple. There's no problem at all to have him, and, like every other player, performances are important."
Mourinho also took the opportunity to defend himself amid accusations that Alli's slump came as a result of Mourinho labelling him as 'lazy' in the recent All or Nothing documentary.
"There is tendency now that when a player performs or doesn't perform to give responsibilities on coaches because they gave him the right stick, but I always feel that 99% of the responsibility is the player," he said.
"I have 1%; me and my staff and the people that work with the players everyday - we have 1% of that responsibility. It 99% belongs to them."