THE PREM ERA 77Tenmonthsago,DeleAlliwasplayingin
the third tier of English football for local
club MK Dons as they won promotion to
the English Championship. Less than a
year later, he is the talk of English football,
fast-tracked into the senior national side
and hailed as the scorer of a contender
for Goal of the Season.
InJanuary, England manager Roy
Hodgson was among those in attendance
at Selhurst Park as Alli received the ball
ontheedgeoftheCrystalPalacepenalty
area, flicked the ball over his own head,
caught the ball on the volley and aimed a
well-directedshotpastWayneHennessey.
In a single movement, Alli demonstrated
poise, technique and audacity that has
probably changed his career for good.
After making his debut for MK Dons as a
16-year-old in 2012, Alli quickly appeared
on the radar of Premier League scouts.
Liverpool had the opportunity to sign him in
January 2015 but the player rejected their
offer of £4,000 a week. Tottenham, where
manager Mauricio Pochettino has not been
afraid to blood young English players,
stepped in with a better offer.
For the moment, Dele Alli is enjoying
a honeymoon period as the bright young
thing of English football.
John HolmesdaleDele Alli
World Soccer 500, March 2016In the space off just12 months, the boy
from Manchesteer has recorded a series of
remarkable landdmarks in his fledgling career.
Rashford’s Unitted debut saw him score
twice in a 5-1 Eurroopa League win against
Midtjylland, makinngg him United’s youngest-
ever scorer iinnEEurope, beating George Best’s
recoorrdd. A Premier League debut against
AArsenal three days later saw him score twice
and provide an assist in a 3-2 win. Then, in
March 2016, he scored the only goal in the
Manchester derby, his team’s first away
league win over City since 2012.
And it wasn’t just at club level that he
made his mark. On his international debut
against Australia, he became the youngest
Englishman to score on his full debut. At
Euro 2016, as a second-half substitute
against Wales, he made his tournament
debut to become the youngest player
to represent England at the European
Championship, breaking Wayne Rooney’s
Euro 2004 record by four days.
After his remarkable free-kick against
Celta Vigo in the Europa League semi-final,
Jose Mourinho said: “Marcus I trust and
it doesn’t matter if he scores or if he
doesn’t score. He is fantastic in his
effort and his attitude.”
John HolmesdaleIt was an open secret that Havertz, one
of the Bundesliga’s most influential players
over the past couple of seasons, was likely
to seek pastures new in 2020-21 and
Chelsea was the most attractive proposition.
Now the pressure is on the Blues’ most
expensive player of all time to perform
–andnotmanyfootballexpertsexpect
himtofail.
On completing his transfer, Chelsea
director Marina Granovskaia told the club’s
website: “Kai is one of the best players of
his age in world football, so we are very
happy that his future lies at Chelsea.”
A total of 29 goals combined in the
last two Bundesliga seasons is pretty
impressive for a 21-year-old attacking
midfielder, not forgetting the fact that
Havertz was also Bayer Leverkusen’s
youngest-ever Bundesliga debutant and
goalscorer – and subsequently the youngest
player in history to reach the milestone of
50 and then100 Bundesliga games.
A supremely gifted player with a keen
eye for goal, the Germany international will
Kai Havertz
Breakout Stars, November 2020PLAYERS: HEARD HERE FIRST
want to make his mark on the Champions
League. He’s made eight appearances in
Europe’s showpiece competition so far, but
has yet to register a single goal or assist.
Nick Bidwella
World Soccer 500,June 2017