Dele Alli Turns Down Salford City Return to English Football
Dele Alli has been offered a route back into English football after former MK Dons manager Karl Robinson invited him to join Salford City, but the ex-Tottenham midfielder was not prepared to consider a move to League Two.
Robinson, who worked with Alli during the early stage of his career at MK Dons, met the 30-year-old in a gym in June and raised the prospect of a reunion at Salford. The manager said he would have no hesitation in giving Alli an opportunity, but accepted that a fourth-tier move did not match the player’s ambitions.
“I would 100% give him a chance,” Robinson said. “I saw him in the gym in June and told him to come to Salford. But he probably looked at me and thought, ‘Gaffer, come on, I’m not doing that.’”
Robinson remains available to help former MK Dons player
Alli has been without a club since leaving Como in September 2025, following a short spell in Italy. Robinson said he remains concerned about the midfielder’s situation and would welcome him at any club he manages in the future.
“If a job comes up, Dele Alli is always more than welcome to come wherever I go,” Robinson said. “I worry about Dele as a young man. He is somebody I will always be there for if he wants to pick up the phone.”
Robinson also believes Alli still carries the confidence that defined his best years in the Premier League. He suggested the midfielder would still back himself to make an impact at Manchester United, despite the prolonged downturn in his career.
“I guarantee that, if you spoke to him now, he would probably tell you he could turn Manchester United’s fortunes around,” Robinson said.
A career in search of a restart
Alli emerged under Robinson at MK Dons before establishing himself as one of English football’s leading attacking midfielders at Tottenham. He made 269 appearances for Spurs, scoring 67 times and registering 59 assists.
His Premier League record stands at 194 matches, 51 goals and 35 assists. Those numbers were built during a period in which he became a regular England international and helped Tottenham compete near the top of the division.
His move away from north London, however, did not produce the intended revival. Alli joined Everton on a free transfer in January 2022, then spent time on loan with Besiktas without finding a sustained return to form. Everton released him in 2024.
A brief Como spell began in early 2025, but it ended with Alli again becoming a free agent in September. He has continued working on his fitness and has remained in contact with supporters through Twitch streams, while his next move remains unresolved.
The central question is whether Alli will eventually take a lower-division opportunity, such as the one proposed by Robinson, or wait for a chance at a higher level. For now, the former Tottenham player remains outside the professional game despite a career that once appeared set for the very top.
