Dele Alli impressed on his return to Everton by being among the first players to show up for pre-season training.
The midfielder has endured a difficult few years after bursting on the scene with Tottenham under Mauricio Pochettino.
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Alli’s stint in north London came to an end during Jose Mourinho’s reign after the Portguese famously warned the Three Lions star about his future in the game.
A switch to Goodison Park followed and after one or two signs that Alli might rekindle some of his Spurs form, he soon lost his place in the starting eleven.
Alli spent last season on loan at Besiktas but it quickly went sour with the Turkish club making clear their intention not to make the move a permanent one.
After a topsy-turvy period, the 27-year-old is back at Everton hoping to impress Sean Dyche, who steered the Toffees to Premier League survival on the final day of last season.
Alli’s first act in attempting to catch the eye of the former Burnley boss was to be among the first returnees to pre-season training, according to the Liverpool Echo.
His actions suggest he has laid down the gauntlet to himself ahead of the new campaign to give himself a fighting chance of resurrecting his career.
It also provides Alli with a clean slate under Dyche who will get his first look at the player since his arrival in January.
But Dyche will need to tread carefully as seven more league appearances for Alli will cost cash-strapped Everton a further £10million.
The early indications suggest Dyche is willing to give Alli a shot following the Everton boss’ reaction to the midfielder’s return from Turkey.
“I just got a sense that he wants to be back playing football and playing well,” Dyche said recently.
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“I’ve heard all the noise, I’ve heard all the opinions and I’m pretty sure that you’re aware that I like to make my own. But he needs to get fit.
“I’ve met him but I haven’t seen him train, I haven’t seen him play for Everton, I haven’t seen him train with us every day.”