Why Spurs fans should be seriously excited by Mourinho’s Dele Alli comments?

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Despite not starting a Premier League game since the opening day of the season, Dele Alli’s situation seemed to be the main talking point in Jose Mourinho’s press conference ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s game on Thursday.

For much of January, it appeared – from the outside – that Dele was on his way out of North London. As reported by The Telegraph, Paris Saint-Germain wanted to take him on loan.

However, he remains with Spurs with the window now shut. And according to The Telegraph, he has now met with Mourinho, and the Tottenham boss is keen to welcome him back into the fold.

Mourinho seemed to confirm that he is indeed hoping to call upon Dele again in the near future in his press conference.

‘He’ll be in a good place’

“I had a good conversation with him yesterday,” he said, as reported by Football London. “We spoke around this question you asked me and we found very common ground, let’s say.

“It’s an important period of the season for the team and for him also. We need him. We need a good Dele Alli and we’re just waiting for him to be back to normality and training with the team.

“We need a good Dele back and I believe that when he’s physically ready, he’ll be in a good place mentally to go for it,” he went on to add.

Spurs fans would be forgiven for feeling that Mourinho’s comments seem familiar. And it does seem that there could be comparisons made between what the Tottenham boss said about Dele and what he once said about one of his teammates.

Back in September, there seemed to be huge doubts surrounding Tanguy Ndombele’s future. He seemed to struggle to win Mourinho over last season.

It would have been no surprise to see the Frenchman leave. But ahead of the opening day clash with Everton, Mourinho made an intriguing claim about the 24-year-old as he discussed his previous struggles and what he could achieve.

‘He has incredible potential’

“He didn’t start the pre-season with us. When you saw him 45 minutes against Watford it was easy to understand and say he’s not in the best condition, but he trained only two days before that match,” he said, as reported by Football London.

“This week he did not go to the national team and trained every day. Is his condition better today than it was last week? Yes his condition is better and he is working very, very hard.

“So the point now is – can he keep that commitment and desire? If he does it, he has incredible potential.”

It is almost frightening how right Mourinho has proved to be. Ndombele has been a revelation. And Tottenham look to have a world-class player on their hands once again.

Mourinho’s comments on Dele – who earns £100,000-a-week, according to Spotrac – do not go as far as to suggest that he has incredible potential. But there are still similarities between the long answers he gave about both men.

He alluded to the issues both players have had. And he put the onus on both players to take responsibility for turning their fortunes around. But he also hinted at there being light at the end of the tunnel.

His words about Ndombele came at a time that can now be looked back upon as a turning point for the midfielder.

And it could be seriously exciting for Spurs if Mourinho’s comments are a sign that Dele is ready to silence his own doubters in a similar fashion.