‘It’s disturbing’: Micah Richards has a message for Spurs ace Dele Alli

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Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli has been urged by Micah Richards to “remember that basic desire to go out and do well”.

The pundit believes Alli’s current predicament at Tottenham is “disturbing” and is “desperate” to see him playing well again.

Alli used to be a regular for Spurs and for England, but has been struggling in recent years.

The 25-year-old has clocked up 265 appearances for Tottenham and 37 England caps.

However, Alli has been out of the picture for club and country for a while now.

Last season, the playmaker struggled for game time under former Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho.

Indeed, he was reportedly close to leaving in January amid links with Mauricio Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain.

Earlier this term, Nuno Espirito Santo reinstated Alli back to the starting XI, and he did well initially.

However, this didn’t last, and Alli soon found himself warming the bench once again, with the odd cameo.

Antonio Conte hasn’t been giving him much game time either, leading to more January transfer speculation.

Richards can barely believe what’s happened to the midfielder, and feels he needs a fresh challenge.

“Back in August, I made a confident prediction about Dele Alli,” Richards wrote in the Daily Mail.

“He’s a player I’ve always had faith in and was my tip to take people by surprise.

“I was adamant he would remind everyone of why he had been such a pivotal figure for England and Tottenham.

“Four months on, he is looking for a new club in January and things haven’t worked out as I’d hoped.

“I don’t know what is happening behind the scenes but I do know he needs a fresh challenge.

“I’m desperate to see him playing well again, to show why he scored 67 times for Spurs.

“It’s disturbing to not see him doing anything and if I could ask him one question, it would be: how much do you love football?

“Forget about the rewards, forget the adulation – Dele should remember that basic desire to go out and play well.

“If he does that, the rest takes care of itself.”