Dele Alli ‘not far off being a £100m player’, says former Spurs boss

Former Tottenham boss Martin Jol believes Dele Alli is “not far off being a £100million player”.

Jol, who managed Spurs for three years between 2004 and 2007 and guided them into Europe in two successive seasons, was at Sunday’s White Hart Lane finale.

The 61-year-old Dutch boss was very impressed with England man Alli, who yesterday refused to rule out a move away from Spurs, and he believes the 21-year-old has got all the attributes “to go all the way”.

“I was sitting next to David Pleat on Sunday and I asked him who discovered Dele Alli. He said ‘me’. I said that was nice, because I think Alli is going all the way,” Jol told football.london.

“I think he will be not far off a £100m player. The boy can play simple, he is skillful, he can run, he’s got great stamina and he can score goals.

“He is almost a perfect number ten. With Eriksen as a number ten as well, it’s so difficult for opponents to deal with Spurs’ system.”

Jol, who most recently managed Egyptian side Al-Ahly, was also not shy in taking some of the credit in turning Spurs from also-rans into genuine title contenders.

 

Jol worked with Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld when he was at Ajax and then he managed Mousa Dembele at Fulham.

“I put Jan Vertonghen at the back because he was a midfield player at Ajax. He was at my old club RKC Waalwijk as well. I switched him to play at the back,” he added.

“I made Toby Alderweireld a regular player as well and it’s lovely to see that they are probably the best pair in the Premier League now.

“Christian Eriksen made his debut with me when he was 17 at Ajax. He’s probably now one of the best number tens in England.

“I also converted Dembele from an attacking striker/winger into a midfield player. I did that at Fulham. That was the big change in his career and I’m sure he’d tell you the same.”