Free agent Dele Alli has said his goodbyes to Everton as he looks to kickstart his career away from Goodison Park.
And a move to Rangers would likely delight one former Ibrox icon – with Ally McCoist previously pitching a move for the England cap to the Scottish Premiership. The 28-year-old has been out of contract since June but continued to train with Everton as he looked to keep up his fitness levels following a troubled spell on Merseyside – with his last first-team game coming during an ill-fated loan spell at Besiktas in February 2023.
Alli has been offered the chance to train with Serie A side Como and win a contract under Cesc Fabregas – but while the Italian side have offered the playmaker a career lifeline he is still on the hunt for his next permanent home as he launches an ambitious bid to fight his way into Thomas Tuchel’s plans for the 2026 World Cup.
Back in 2022, Alli was struggling for game time at The Toffees before his switch to the Turkish Super Lig – leading to McCoist to float the idea of a move to Scotland. Speaking to a talkSPORT caller at the time, he said: “We were talking earlier on Dan, I’m guessing, I don’t know but you would take Dele Alli at Celtic? Because I’d take him at Rangers, mate.”
The Celtic fan was unimpressed responding: “Not in the slightest Ally, I think you’re doing your club a disservice. Dele Alli coming up here – categorically he’s done absolutely nothing in four years. He’d get nowhere near the Celtic midfield.”
But the Rangers’ hero was undeterred – laying out the potential terms of a deal: “I take your point Dan, totally. The only way I’m thinking is if he would be prepared to come on a kind of pay as you play deal.
“One of the massive problems is that these guys are on so much money now. I understand they don’t want to take a drop.”
Could Alli look beyond the picturesque Lake Como for his next move, and will he prove his fitness to Fabregas? If not, McCoist could see his “pay as you play” pitch finally become a reality.