Sean Dyche has been outlining Everton’s plan for testing out Dele Alli’s match fitness in practice games that are played behind closed doors before they decide whether to offer him a new contract.
“We honestly haven’t gone that far with him as a player, that’s for sure,” said Dyche. “The club have outlined ‘what ifs?’ but with the player I’ve just said, and I have maintained this, that the first thing is just to get back out there, running freely, playing, training and all that side of things. We will have to wait and see on that.
“He is close but not there yet. And don’t forget he’s hardly had any actual football – as in games – for a long time. There is a games programme still, as well. It’s not just a case of getting fit and running around with the first-team group, then he needs games, so therefore a games programme has got to come next. When you’ve been out that long you need a period of building up and getting to true fitness. That could take three or four games. It’s a bit like an extended pre-season, let’s say.
“I think he is respectful of the fact we have helped him where we could. And he knows the players, he knows the environment, he knows me and the staff, so I think it works hand in hand. He is ticking along nicely. Now it’s about building that programme up to the point where he’s playing and then building the games programme up and then a conversation will be had at some point.”