Ex-Spurs star Dele Alli faces harsh verdict as Ryan Reynolds told Wrexham made right call

Former Spurs star Dele Alli has been told clubs may be unwilling to take a risk on him (Image: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)

Dele Alli has received a harsh dose of reality regarding his next career move following his most recent disappointment.

The former Tottenham star saw his contract cancelled by Serie A outfit Como at the beginning of September after managing just a single outing. The 29-year-old joined Cesc Fabregas' side in January on an 18-month deal following underwhelming periods with Everton and Besiktas.

However, he received his marching orders fewer than 10 minutes into his debut after being brought on as a substitute during Como's loss away to AC Milan in March. The ex-England international is now searching for a fresh challenge despite previously being regarded as one of the Premier League 's most promising young talents.

Dele was linked with three Championship clubs in the immediate wake of his unsuccessful Italian adventure. Wrexham , Birmingham and West Brom were amongst those reportedly keen on acquiring his signature as an unattached player.

But Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has later said he plans to allocate his final squad position to midfielder Ollie Rathbone , who is approaching a comeback from an ankle problem. Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman has supported that choice after suggesting that any club signing Dele would be taking an enormous risk.

The former Bradford and Sunderland striker believes he may need to prove his worth during a trial period before another team gambles on him.

Dele Alli was sent off on his Como debut for a nasty challenge (Image: Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images)

"It hasn't really worked out since he left Spurs," Goodman told Betway . He hasn't shown the same quality at Everton, Besiktas, and Como.

"He only played eight minutes for Como last season in Serie A, so it just hasn't happened for him. For me, it's a massive gamble for any club to take on a 29-year-old who has barely played in the past three or four seasons.

"I think it's a tragic story because he's such a talent, and I think the onus is solely on Dele Alli to find himself a club. Whether that means going on trial and taking your chance should it come your way. If I were Dele Alli, I would be happy to do that."

Dele Alli was viewed as having huge potential during his early career with Spurs (Image: Getty Images)

He added: "It's a tricky situation, but if you can get anything like the player that burst on the scene for MK Dons and then Spurs, where he excelled really, I think it's a gamble worth taking. The problem for the clubs linked with him is, you just don't know what he'll be like until he walks through the door."

Swansea were another Championship side also rumoured to be interested in signing Dele. However, the speculation was quickly quashed by manager Alan Sheehan.

"I can rule that out," he said this week. "I haven't heard that one at all right now. We've done our business unless something dramatically changes.

"Obviously Dele Alli is a wonderful player, so I don't want to comment anything on him or where he is, or how he's playing etc. But look, for Swansea City, I would say no right now."

Dele's future remains up in the air following earlier rumours of his potential retirement , which were subsequently quashed. However, his dream of securing a spot in England's squad for next year's World Cup seems increasingly unlikely as his opportunities dwindle.