This young man is Dele-ciously talented

This time last year, Milton Keynes Dons fans were the only people raving about a young midfield talent called Dele Alli. Not so now.

On the back of a 30-yard wonder goal for England, and a string of eye-catching outings for Tottenham Hotspur, the gifted 19-year-old is suddenly the Premier League’s “next big thing”. Is he the real deal?

Our EPL expert Adrian Clarke analyses his credentials …

STRINGS TO HIS BOW

These days we pigeonhole players far more readily than we used to. Central midfielders tend to be of the “holding”, “goalscoring” or “playmaker” variety, with very little fusion between the three.

Alli stands out from the crowd because he cuts across those various qualities. Prepared to fling himself into a blood-curdling 50-50, attempt a raking 40-yard pass, or burst into the penalty area to nab a poacher’s goal, Alli is one of an increasingly rare breed — the all-action, box-to-box midfield general. For his age and experience, the breadth of his talent is mightily impressive. To manager Mauricio Pochettino, he is like three players rolled into one.

A physical specimen

At 1.85m tall, the teenager has a trim, athletic presence that is perfect for the demands placed on Premier League midfielders. Blooded in the no-frills world of English football’s third tier, Alli has learned how to look after himself, and that is serving him well.

Borderline old-fashioned in his attitude, the rookie refuses to back out of confrontation, or show signs of weakness.

Too many other youth prodigies, who are nurtured in sterile academy environments, lack his steel and thirst for the physical edge.

Alli is not a speedy roadrunner, but as he showed when bursting into channels of space in the North London derby, he does also have a powerful stride that can leave markers trailing in his slipstream.

With and without the ball, he is built for the role he performs.

Fearless

Former Arsenal manager Bruce Rioch once asked me to “tread on Duncan Ferguson’s toes” at throw-ins, and I am not ashamed to confess that the thought of riling one of the game’s hardest-ever strikers scared me witless.

Alli would, in all likelihood, have relished that job. He is certainly not the type to be intimidated by situations, and that is why his big-match temperament is so good.

All young players make mistakes, but the very best quickly shrug them off. On Tuesday night for England, he badly miscontrolled a Harry Kane pass when put clean through against France. You could tell he was embarrassed at his lapse in technique and concentration, slapping his thigh in frustration, but minutes later, he thumped a fizzing strike past Hugo Lloris into the top corner.

Inside his head is a cool, confident young man.

An eye for flair

Before selling Alli to the London giants, MK Dons manager Karl Robinson called him the “best young player I’ve worked with”.

“He does things in training I’ve never seen before. He scores goals, wins penalties, beats people with back heels, nutmegs them. He can be anything he wants to be.” Although he is yet to display that level of showmanship in the top flight, the skill is there. He is a player that will excite fans in the seasons to come.

Alli certainly loves a goal. He netted 24 times in 88 appearances for his former club (including several stunners) and already has two in 11 for his new employers. He is sure to score plenty from an attacking midfield berth, or as an orthodox No 8.

He could be the next … Steven Gerrard

It is a bold call to make, and it is impossible to say at this stage whether he will go on to have as glittering a career as the Liverpool legend, but stylistically, there are so many similarities. The self-assured strut, the frame, the long stride, the necessity to be a dominant figure, the aggressive edge, the eye for a long-range strike, all bear the hallmarks of the Merseyside icon.

Too many brilliant young players have dropped out of sight as quickly as they shot to fame for anyone to guarantee future success. However, I feel on pretty safe ground tipping Dele Alli for a long, successful career at the highest level.

Physically and mentally, he has the make-up of a top class international footballer.

TV TIMES:

Tonight:

Watford v Man Utd (Singtel Ch102 and Starhub Ch227; 8.45pm)

West Brom v Arsenal (Ch103 and Ch228; 10.55pm)

Everton v Aston Villa (Ch104 and Ch229; 10.55pm)

Newcastle v Leicester (Ch105 and Ch230; 10.55pm)

Southampton v Stoke (Ch106 and Ch231; 10.55pm)

Chelsea v Norwich (Ch102 and Ch227; 11pm)

Sunday:

Man City v Liverpool (Ch102 and Ch227; 1.30am)

Spurs v West Ham (Ch102 and Ch227; 11.55pm)

Tuesday:

Crystal Palace v Sunderland (Ch102 and Ch227; 4am)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Adrian Clarke is a former Arsenal midfielder who has played at every level of the English game. Now an experienced sports journalist, he writes for many international publications