New Tottenham Hotspur signing Dele Alli has revealed that he turned down the chance to join Liverpool.
The 19-year-old was signed by Spurs in January for an initial £5m from SkyBet League One side Milton Keynes Dons before being loaned back for the remainder of the season.
Months before the England Under-19 international agreed a moved to White Hart Lane, Dons manager Karl Robinson had accepted a £3.5m bid from Liverpool.
Alli told FourFourTwo why he didn’t opt for Merseyside: “At the time I didn’t feel it was the right move personally, and I wanted to stay at MK a bit longer to get some more first-team experience.
“I knew if I got more experience by the end of the season that I’d be ready to move.”
Despite the fact that Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is known for giving opportunities to young talent, and Alli being a lifelong Liverpool supporter, the youngster opted to stay at Stadium MK.
Alli, who has been with MK Dons since the age of 11, wanted to find a manager similar to his former boss Karl Robinson:
“When we were looking at moving I think it was really important that we found a manager who was similar to the gaffer [Robinson].
“Someone who has a lot of trust in young players and isn’t scared to put them on. I can see that in the manager [at Spurs], so it’s a great move for me.”
