Dele Alli has paid a special tribute to Mauricio Pochettino in his goodbye message to Tottenham supporters after ending his seven-year association with the club.
The 25-year-old sealed a January deadline day move to Everton for a fee that could reach £30m, linking up with former goalscoring midfielder Frank Lampard, who was appointed Toffees manager at the weekend.
Alli was brought to Spurs by Pochettino in 2015 as a highly-promising teenager from MK Dons and went on to make an immediate impression in the Premier League under his guidance.
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Across his first first four seasons in north London, Alli struck 53 goals, was named in two PFA Team of the Years and also helped Pochettino’s men to reach the 2019 Champions League final, in which he started in the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.
However, Alli’s form has plummeted in recent years and he has been unable to recapture the glory days of his early Spurs existence, bagging just five goals in all competitions across the previous two campaigns and falling firmly down the pecking order.
As such, Spurs have allowed the 37-capped England international to look to resurrect his career on Merseyside. Following the completion of his transfer to the Toffees, Alli posted a farewell message to Spurs supporters, in which he reserved a “special mention” to Pochettino.
He wrote on his Twitter account: “It’s the end of the chapter but not the book. Thank you all for the messages.
“I’ve had an incredible seven years at Tottenham and have made some lifelong friends that now feel like family! I want to wish my brothers all the best for the rest of the season and more.
“To the fans, I want to say thank you. We’ve had some incredible moments together that will stay with me for the rest of my life and I will never forget the amazing support you have given me.
“Playing for you was a dream come true and you will always be in my heart.
“I want to give a special mention to Mauricio and his staff for their trust and guidance in the early part of my career at Spurs, which gave me the confidence and platform to show what I can do.
“I love you all and wish you the best for the future! Dele out.”