Frank Lampard warns Dele Alli to find his focus during loan move to Besiktas or see his career fail

Everton manager Frank Lampard has warned Dele Alli that he’s at risk of watching his career go to ruins if he doesn’t find the same focus that made him one of the game’s best young stars. 

The former England midfielder moved to Besiktas on a season-long loan this past week, seven months after joining the Toffees from Tottenham. 

Just four years ago Alli was a key member of Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad, scoring in the quarter-final win over Sweden and had twice been named PFA Young Player of the Year. 

Frank Lampard has warned Alli that he needs to find his focus again during Besiktas loan move

The move to Goodison was meant to rejuvenate the 26-year-old’s career, but has played only 13 times for the Merseyside club – 12 of those as substitute.

Lampard believes the playmaker’s downward spiral is linked to his approach to training, and says that he needs to find his focus if he is to rediscover the kind of form that made him an England regular. 

‘I do have great empathy for the trajectory of his career in a sense because it is clear to see. I don’t have to dress that up in any way.’ Lampard stated. 

Alli only made 13 appearances for The Toffees and was used mostly as sub by Frank Lampard 

 ‘Having worked closely with him for a period I have to say he really does need to understand the relation of training and focus to what that means to performance at the highest level. 

‘It’s not just the Dele story, I would say that to any player because it’s the only thing I know.

‘I wasn’t a saint, but I know what training can do and focus can do, and that’s something he really has to take on board. 

‘If he can, it can be not just a great thing for him but for the team-mates around him in the squad. He’s at that point. That is the test for him now.’

The former England midfielder was given a hero’s welcome on arriving in Turkey this week 

The comments echo Jose Mourinho’s infamous message to Alli during their pairs time together at Tottenham, that went viral after appearing in the Amazon Prime documentary on the club. 

Mourinho warned Dele then in 2020 that he would regret not demanding more of himself, and it’s a sentiment his current manager has continued to advise his player about. 

 ‘He has to do it. Every player has to do it. This sport is too elite at the top end. If you want to be in that bracket, or be influential at a club like Everton or Tottenham, or anywhere. It is just too elite. 

All smiles for Lampard and Alli in January but it’s a move that hasn’t worked out as planned 

‘Every player has to have a version of what is best for them and what gets the most out of them.

‘Not every player will do the amount of training that a certain player does, but the focus has to be there and if you don’t have it, it is really, really tough.’

Everton confirmed the signing of Neal Maupay from Brighton yesterday, but ahead of next week’s deadline there is still speculation on the future of Anthony Gordon. 

Lampard has said there is no pressure to sell the Under-21 star, and denies Chelsea had made a £60million for the attacker. Going on to warn his former club that the Toffees have drawn a red line date for any transfer to be completed, and they are fast approaching it.  

Frank Lampard has drawn a ‘red line’ on the possible transfer of Anthony Gordon to Chelsea 

 ‘It is absolutely not happening at this point and that is where we are at,’ said Lampard. ‘I have got respect for Chelsea because I did play for them but my biggest job now is to have an understanding of what I need to do here and the situation we are in is that Anthony is not leaving this club.’

He added: ‘We have drawn a red line. I won’t say where it is but I am getting very close to it. It is my job to put the best squad together so there absolutely has to come a time where we understand what the squad is going to be.

‘Especially with a player of the level of Anthony, I have to know he is going be here and the good thing is myself and everybody involved upstairs has the same kind of thinking.’