Tottenham’s Dele Alli posts cryptic message on Instagram as he works to win Jose Mourinho’s favour

Alli has been on the fringes of the Spurs squad this season

Dele Alli has the same charisma as Diego Maradona, according to Mauricio Pochettino (Getty)

Dele Alli has posted a message on social media suggesting he is working hard to get back into the Tottenham team.

Alli has been on the fringes of the Spurs squad this season, with Jose Mourinho preferring to use Tanguy Ndombele when playing with a No10 behind Harry Kane, and Alli has struggled to even make the bench in the majority of matches.

Mourinho has declined to go into detail on why Alli is no longer in his plans, although he has said he feels “hurt” leaving the midfielder out of the team. He has also said Alli is “being very, very professional”.  

A clip in the recent Spurs documentary, All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur, may have offered a clue. It showed a team meeting last season in which Mourinho accused Alli of being a “lazy trainer”, something the England international laughed off.

Now Alli has posted a picture of himself doing some strength and conditioning work alongside the captain: “Make improvements, not excuses.”

Alli has not been included in Gareth Southgate’s recent England squads as in-form players like Jack Grealish and Mason Mount have risen up the pecking order, and will remain at Spurs’ Enfield training base over the international break. 

Tottenham’s next game is against Manchester City in the Premier League.