Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has questioned how Dele Alli would fit in at Birmingham City should he make the move to St Andrew’s.
The 29-year-old is a free agent after his contract at Italian Serie A outfit Como was cancelled earlier this month. His initial move to the continent was seen as a way to revitalise his career after having to contend with a series of off-field issues since leaving Everton in 2024.
Alli made just one appearance for Cesc Fabregas’ team in a game which saw him sent off just 10 minutes after entering the field. Now a free agent, he has been heavily linked with a move to the Championship. Birmingham, Wrexham, West Bromwich Albion and Swansea City have all been touted as potential destinations.
“It Would Be Tough”
Should the former England international opt to move to the second tier, he will surely be targeting a club that has a realistic chance of earning promotion. Once widely regarded as one of the most exciting young prospects in the country, he will feel that he still has the ability to make an impact in the Premier League.
Birmingham are one of those expected to finish in the top six and hold ambitions of a second successive promotion. However, they have built an excellent team, something Lee Hendrie sees as a potential problem should the winger move to the West Midlands. Speaking to Football League World, the former Aston Villa midfielder said:
“I think Dele Alli, at 90 or 100 per cent of his game gets into most sides, doesn’t he?
“I think that’s the difference. You have to look at what his fitness levels are like. Is his head in the right space?
“It would be tough. Top players who have been at the top, playing in better teams and squads, you do think it does get the extra 10% out of players.
“I think it would be tough for him to walk into that Birmingham side because they’ve been one of the better sides in the Championship so far this season, so that would be a difficult one for that to happen.”
The Blues currently sit 11th in the Championship after five games played and return to action on Saturday when they host Swansea.
Writer’s View
Hendrie is right that Alli would have to earn a spot in Birmingham’s starting lineup, but that’s surely the case wherever he ends up. There’s little doubt that he is an extremely talented footballer but after the last few years, he knows that he will have to work hard to become a regular starter. However, the Blues to possess a host of attacking talent and the ex-Tottenham Hotspur star may be better placed looking at alternatives.
