Dele Alli and Donny van de Beek joined Everton’s bid to beat relegation in the Premier League on the transfer deadline, the day after Frank Lampard was revealed as the club’s new manager. Alli has been given a permanent contract from Tottenham after a disappointing couple of years under four different managers in north London. Lampard was appointed on Monday as Everton’s seventh manager in six years on a two-and-a-half-year contract. Chelsea’s all-time top scorer has been out of action for a year since he was sacked by the London club last January.
He is tasked with keeping the Toffees in the top flight. They are four points above the relegation zone after a run of one win in 14 league games.
Targeting Alli was reportedly one of Lampard’s demands to take the job.
The England international’s career has waned in the past four seasons since he emerged as one of Europe’s most promising attacking midfielders under Mauricio Pochettino.
Alli had only started two Premier League games since Antonio Conte took charge of Tottenham in November.
A complex two-and-a-half-year deal will reportedly make the 25-year-old’s price entirely dependent on variables with £10 million ($14 million) payable after 20 gigs and other add-ons running up to a potential fee of £40 million.
“I’m eager to get started and can’t wait for my first game in an Everton shirt,” said Alli.
“I’m looking forward to helping the team and the opportunity to work with the new manager.”
Van de Beek has also endured a tough 18 months at Old Trafford since a £40 million transfer from Ajax.
The 24-year-old struggled for playing time under both former United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
“I had a very positive conversation with the new coach. We have the same ideas about football and he influenced my decision a lot,” said Van de Beek.
“I played against him when I was at Ajax, and he at Chelsea, so he knows me as a player. He thinks I have qualities that can help the team.”
“I can learn a lot from him because he was kind of in the same position – a midfielder who scored a lot of goals. He can help me a lot, so I think I’m in a good place.”
promoted
Both Alli and Van de Beek are in the cup on Saturday in front of Lampard’s arc at Goodison Park against Brentford in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
But they will be free to make their debut in a crucial game at the bottom of the Premier League table against Newcastle on 8 February.
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