Former MK Dons star Dele Alli signs for Italian side Como

Former MK Dons star Dele Alli has moved to Italy to sign for Serie A side Como.

Dele, 28, has joined the Italian side after a month training with the team, with the former MK Dons, Spurs and Everton man signing an 18-month contract to the end of next season with the club from Lombardy. The deal also had an option to stay with the club for an additional 12 months.

Como have opted to sign Dele on a full basis after the midfielder had spent the previous month training with the club. The Italian side currently sit 17th in the Serie A table ahead of a match against Udinese later today. The club were promoted as Serie B runners-up last season.

His new employers are managed by former Spain international and Arsenal, Barcelona & Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas, who along with his former Arsenal and Barcelona team-mate Thierry Henry is a minority investor in the club.

Fabregas said in a statement, “The club believes in Dele’s potential and is committed to helping him find his best form. His experience and leadership qualities will certainly be useful to the team.”

Dele hasn’t played a senior first team appearance since February 2023, which came during a loan spell with Turkish side Besiktas. The midfielder had been released by Everton last summer, with injury issues preventing him from featuring for the Toffees last season.

In an interview on Sky’s The Overlap podcast with Gary Neville in July 2023, Dele revealed he had suffered sexual abuse as a child and had spent time in rehab for sleeping pill addiction and mental health issues.

Dele had began his career at MK Dons, making his first team debut for the club in the FA Cup in 2012 and becoming a regular with the club before joining Spurs in 2015. He would make over 260 appearances for the club, earning acclaim in his early seasons and showing form that would see him receive 37 caps for the England national team, including appearances at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.