Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli is ‘probably a backup’ option to Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard for West Ham United, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
The Hammers have been heavily linked with the English duo in recent weeks ahead of a possible move in the January transfer window.
What is the latest news involving Alli?
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Alli will be allowed to leave north London over the winter after struggling for game time under new manager Antonio Conte.
Ornstein claims that the 25-year-old is most likely to leave on loan due to his contract not expiring until the summer of 2024, meaning Spurs would demand a sizeable fee for his services.
That could make Alli an attractive option for West Ham as they search for attacking reinforcements for the second-half of the campaign.
Said Benrahma has joined with Algeria for the African Cup of Nations, while summer signing Nikola Vlasic is yet to find his best form on English shores after finding the back of the net just once in 22 outings.
As a result, David Moyes may be tempted to bolster his forward line once again, just as he did last winter by snapping up Lingard on a temporary basis.
O’Rourke believes the United ace will be Moyes’s first-choice option, but if he’s not available, then Alli could be the ideal alternative option.
What has O’Rourke said about Alli?
Lingard scored nine goals and produced five assists in just 16 Premier League appearances last term to fire the London Stadium outfit to a sixth-placed finish.
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O’Rourke claims that his outstanding displays for West Ham are likely to see him top Moyes’s wish list, although Alli won’t be far behind.
He told GiveMeSport: “I'm sure he's probably a backup to Jesse Lingard. I would imagine he would be West Ham’s top target if they are to bring in an attacking midfielder.”
Would Alli be a good signing?
Alli was one of English football’s hottest properties following his move to Spurs from boyhood club MK Dons back in 2015.
The creative talent bagged 46 goals and produced 41 assists in 146 appearances between 2015/16 and 2017/18 before a dramatic drop-off in form sparked a fall from grace.
Since the 2018 World Cup, Alli’s stock has dropped considerably, with the midfielder making just 15 top-flight starts over the last 18 months.
Nevertheless, his 51 Premier League goals indicate his top-class talent when on form, and West Ham could be significantly boosted by his arrival.
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