Dele Alli has been warned that his future may now rest on the outcome of trial spells, with it “scary” how far he has fallen. That is the opinion of former Tottenham star Stephen Carr, who has been telling GOAL about what happens next for an ex-England international who has suffered a humbling tumble from grace and finds opportunities “very slim” despite becoming a free agent.

Dele Alli Sent ‘Trial’ Warning After ‘Scary’ Fall From Grace – Ex-Tottenham & Como Midfielder Told Opportunities Are Now ‘Very Slim’ Despite Being a Free Agent

Dele Alli’s ‘Scary’ Decline and the Growing Reality of Trial-Based Opportunities

Dele Alli’s story was once a modern football fairytale—an explosive rise from MK Dons to becoming one of the Premier League’s brightest stars. Now, at just 29, it has morphed into something far more sobering. Former Tottenham defender Stephen Carr recently described the midfielder’s fall from grace as “scary,” and for the first time in his career, Dele faces an uncertain future where even trial spells might be his only remaining gateway back into the professional game.

According to Carr, who spoke to GOAL in association with Casino.org, Dele’s options are “very slim” despite being a free agent. The bluntness of that assessment reflects how dramatically things have changed for a player who once dominated Europe’s biggest stages and drew admiring glances from Real Madrid. Now, the question isn’t what club he’ll choose next, but whether any club will choose him at all.

Free Agent: Why Dele Alli Finds Himself Without a Club

Dele has effectively been in limbo since September 2025, when his contract with Serie A side Como was terminated. His brief spell in Italy was nothing short of disastrous. He made just a single substitute appearance, lasted under ten minutes, and capped it off with a red card against AC Milan—a moment symbolic of everything that has gone wrong for him in recent years.

Before that, his Everton chapter had ended quietly and without ceremony. Injuries dominated his time at Goodison Park, robbing him of rhythm, minutes, and ultimately trust. The last time he played consistent football was early 2023 during a difficult loan spell at Besiktas—a period remembered more for disciplinary drama than performances on the pitch.

Since then, the appearances dried up. The match sharpness faded. The confidence, once unshakeable, seemed to disappear altogether.

What Next: Where Does Dele Alli End Up?

Dele Alli Como

At 29, Dele insists he isn’t ready to retire, and by football standards, he shouldn’t have to. But the reality is harsher than the theory. He’s been working through individual training programmes and fitness routines, yet as Carr points out, training alone cannot replicate the tempo of real football.

Match sharpness is earned in competition, not in a gym.

“It’s no different to being injured,” Carr said. “You can train all you want, but getting back fit takes time. And Dele has missed a lot of football.”

His hunger, according to those close to him, is still there. But hunger doesn’t change the fact that clubs see a player who hasn’t completed regular minutes in over two years. With that context, it’s no surprise that Carr believes Dele may now have to do what many experienced players dread—go on trial.

Stephen Carr’s Brutally Honest Assessment

Carr’s comments pull no punches. They aren’t cruel—just the perspective of someone who has seen football at its most ruthless.

“It’s scary how he’s fallen,” Carr admitted. “He’s only 29, just gone past being in his peak, but the amount of football he has played in the last few years is very low.”

Carr also touched on the physical reality facing Dele. When a player stops competing at elite levels, the body adapts—and not in a good way.

“He will pick up injuries. His body isn’t used to playing at the highest level now. His body might be completely gone.”

These words are not condemnation. They reflect a deeper truth within the sport: you can’t simply pause elite performance and expect to pick up where you left off. Football moves on, and the body deteriorates faster than the mind accepts.

On Trial: Does Dele Alli Have the Hunger Left to Start Again?

Clubs in the EFL—including Wrexham and Birmingham City—have been linked with him, but even those opportunities are tentative. No one is offering starting roles, long-term contracts, or marquee signings. If anything, Dele would be expected to prove himself from scratch.

Carr was clear on this point: “Wherever he ends up, he isn’t going to get to pick. It could be a trial where you have to prove it. It’s whether he has the stomach for that.”

Football trials aren’t glamorous. They’re uncertain, humbling, and mentally taxing—especially for someone who has played in Champions League knockouts, World Cups, and Premier League title races.

But that’s the crossroads Dele now faces.

As Carr puts it, even if the mind wants a comeback, “his body won’t be saying it because he hasn’t played in so long and he’s not used to it.”

The Mental Battle: Does Dele Need to Take a Step Back?

Dele Alli is still a household name, still a two-time PFA Young Player of the Year, still the player whose videos of outrageous goals and flicks circulate online. But none of that matters to clubs evaluating him today.

On paper, as Carr bluntly states, “you aren’t a top player anymore.”

The only way to change that perception is to step back—possibly to League One or League Two, or even abroad—and start proving himself again from the ground up. And that requires courage, patience, and thick skin.

“That’s the mentality thing,” Carr said. “Do you have it in you to take a step back? I hope he has.”

He added that Dele still has talent, but talent alone doesn’t repair reputations.

“He’s going to have to earn it again. Whether he is up to the task, who knows, but it is definitely getting to the end now. His chances are going to be slim, very slim.”

Proven Pedigree: The Superstar Dele Used to Be

Dele Alli England 2018

For anyone who followed Dele Alli’s rise, the decline is even more painful to watch. This was a player who:

Scored 22 Premier League goals across his first two Spurs seasons
Was named PFA Young Player of the Year twice
Played 30+ times for England, including at the 2018 World Cup
Earned praise from Mauricio Pochettino, José Mourinho, Gareth Southgate, and countless legends
Attracted serious interest from Real Madrid during his peak

His energy, timing, creativity, and fearlessness once made him one of Europe’s brightest stars. He was the golden boy of English football, the player who seemed to have the world at his feet.

But somewhere along the way—through injuries, criticism, personal struggles, and failed transfers—he lost his way. And football, unforgiving as always, didn’t wait for him to catch up.

Where the Story Goes From Here

The next chapter of Dele Alli’s career will depend on two things:

Whether a club is willing to take a gamble
Whether Dele is willing to rebuild from the bottom

He still has technical ability, experience, and moments of magic in him. But elite football demands more than talent—it demands consistency, fitness, and resilience.

Carr’s warning may sound harsh, but it’s also a challenge. A reminder. A wake-up call.

Dele Alli is not finished unless he decides he is finished. But the window is closing. The opportunities are shrinking. And for the first time since he burst onto the scene, the football world isn’t asking what Dele can become—it’s asking whether he can still fight for it.

If he wants one more chapter, this is the moment to write it.