Besiktas star Nathan Redmond has launched a firm defence of Dele Alli and believes his team-mate has 'been under a lot more scrutiny than others' in recent years.
Dele joined Everton from Tottenham Hotspur in January 2022 and made 11 appearances, but just one start, for the Goodison Park club last season. He then made two substitute outings - in league defeats against Chelsea and Aston Villa - for the Blues at the start of this season.
A two-time winner of the PFA's Young Player of the Year award, the England international did not score or register an assist in 13 games for the Blues. And following a slow start to the campaign, Everton allowed Dele to depart the club, joining Besiktas on a season-long loan deal before the closure of the summer transfer window.
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The 26-year-old received a hero's welcome when he arrived in Istanbul to complete his move back in August. Supporters greeted him at the airport in their numbers before chants of his name could be heard.
And Dele made a strong start at the Super Lig club. However, things haven’t gone to plan. After scoring a crucial goal in a 3-2 win over Ankaragucu in his second game, his impact and minutes quickly dwindled.
Dele has been left out of Besiktas' squad for their last two games - a 2-0 win at Istanbul Basaksehir and a 3-1 victory over Istanbulspor - and his future was thrown further into doubt earlier this week when manager Senol Gunes suggested he had gone AWOL.
He said: "Dele Alli could not come at this time. It’s raining, I guess that’s why he couldn’t come. We’re trying to hear from him. We could not reach him by phone. Hopefully he didn’t have an accident."
However, Dele took to social media to clear up the confusion, claiming he had been given permission by Besiktas to attend a doctor's appointment.
He posted on Instagram: "Hey guys just had loads of messages so wanted to clear something up. The club gave me permission to attend a doctor’s appointment today. I’m due back in training tomorrow [Thursday] as normal."
And now Redmond, who joined the Turkish club at the same time as Dele last year, has defended the former Spurs star, suggesting the spotlight he was placed under has led to more scrutiny than he deserves.
"We’ve been friends for a long time," Redmond told FourFourTwo. "Before this, we were speaking in the summer, just about life in general.
"It’s hard sometimes for someone of Dele’s stature, who’s been at the very top and been under a lot more scrutiny than others in the last five or six years.
“He’s had a lot of injuries - that’s definitely played a factor in his confidence and how he performs sometimes, but off the pitch he’s as normal as anyone.
"He enjoys playing Call of Duty. He loves playing football, and he loves training every day and trying to improve."
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