Dele Alli was seen as a youngster with huge potential at Tottenham Hotspur, but despite his early success at the club, he struggled to maintain his top-level performances.
The Englishman joined the Lilywhites in a £5m deal from MK Dons back in the summer of 2015, taking the Premier League by storm in his first couple of seasons.
He scored 37 times in his first three years in North London, registering a further 26 assists – helping him win the PFA Young Player of the Year award two years in a row.
However, it would all come crashing down for the midfielder, subsequently dropping down the pecking order under Jose Mourinho, with off-field issues rearing their head and leading to his demise.
Fast-forward to 2025, manager Thomas Frank has another talented player in the same situation, which could lead to his own exit from the club in the near future.
The latest on Yves Bissouma’s Tottenham future
Despite being a regular in Ange Postecoglou’s plans, making 44 appearances in all competitions, midfielder Yves Bissouma looks set to be sold by Spurs in the coming weeks.
The Malian international, who cost £35m from Brighton in the summer of 2022, has ultimately failed to impress new boss, Frank, but mainly due to his off-the-field issues rather than on-field performances.
He was left out of the Super Cup clash with PSG due to disciplinary reasons and has failed to be a part of any squad since then, not even making the bench for the Lilywhites.
It’s not the first time the 29-year-old has been involved in off-the-field antics, being spotted inhaling nitrous oxide – leading to a suspension from the hierarchy.
However, he looks set to be sold to Turkey in the coming days, with Fenerbahce interested in his signature, but he should also be joined by another player out of the exit door.
The Spurs player who should be axed alongside Bissouma
Whilst this summer was mainly about incomings at Spurs, decisions have been made to offload players to create wriggle room for Frank to work with after taking the reins.
The Dane splashed upwards of £100m on the signatures of Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus – adding needed quality into the club’s forward line for 2025/26 and beyond.
Such moves have added to the likes of Brennan Johnson and Richarlison, with the pair already opening their account for the new campaign under Frank.
However, despite joining on a permanent basis this summer, attacker Mathys Tel could find himself on the periphery after the latest development in North London.
The Frenchman joined the Lilywhites in a £30m deal from Bayern Munich, re-joining the club after spending the second half of the previous campaign on loan with Spurs.
At just 20, he has bags of time to fulfill his potential, but it’s unclear whether he will be able to achieve his goal under Frank after the new emerging from the club this week.
Tel, who’s been labelled “incredible” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, was left out of the Lilywhites’ Champions League squad for the 2025/26 campaign – casting doubt over his long-term future.
Games played
21
Minutes played
1287
Goals scored
3
Assists
1
Yellow cards
3
Red cards
0
Average rating
6.75
Such a situation is similar to that of Dele, subsequently being alienated from the first-team squad, which could see the player move closer to the exit door.
However, such a scenario could eventually see the club lose Tel for a minimal fee, just like they did with Dele a couple of years ago – needing to cash in on his services if he currently isn’t in Frank’s plans.
The decision to leave the youngster out may prove to be an unpopular one with the fanbase, especially after the hierarchy forked out £30m for his signature a matter of months ago.
The player himself would also undoubtedly be angry with the latest development, with the board needing to fund a move away from the club for Tel alongside Bissouma to allow them to kick on their development elsewhere.
Sold for £28m: Levy hit gold axing Spurs flop now worth less than Bissouma
Tottenham Hotspur made the right call by allowing one player to leave the club in recent years.
ByEthan Lamb Sep 5, 2025