Dele Alli: From England star to Everton bench, is Besiktas move forward's last chance?

Dele Alli was once one of England's most promising players, but after a decline he is heading to Turkey in the hopes of revitalizing his career.

He left the Toffees having failed to score a goal or provide an assist in 13 appearances, despite his move from Spurs.

With only 26 years old, Alli has plenty of time to rediscover the form that made him a regular for Spurs and England.

What happened to Alli? Is this the last chance for him to return to the heights he once enjoyed?

England starter to Everton bench as goals dry up

Five years ago, Alli was one of the most important players in the Spurs squad and he scored 18 goals in the league.

After helping England to the semi-finals of the World Cup, Dele Alli's appearances for club and country have dwindled, with several managers having tried but failed to get a tune out of him.

Alli hadn't hit double figures in a year, when he scored 10 goals. He has scored 14 times in the last four years. He won his 37th England cap three years ago.

Don Hutchinson said on the radio that Dele Alli can't be pinned on any one person. It's time to look in the mirror.

There's a chance he could come back, but he looks like he's lost his love for football. The flicker has stopped.

'It's all down to Alli'

It is hard to see what will happen if the reception Alli received when he arrived in Turkey fails to reignite the fire.

Alli can find his form again largely out of the glare of the British media spotlight if he plays overseas.

The stark reality of Alli's situation could have the required impact if either of those are not able to get him going again.

What other options have he obtained? On Talksport, Redknapp made a statement. I can't imagine any other club trying to get in touch with him.

This is a chance for him to make a name for himself. Dele is the one to make the decision. He doesn't want to look at anyone else.

It's not the best move, but it's one where he can get going again.

'It seem the fire inside has been extinguished'

Phil McNulty is a football writer for the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The dramatic decline of Alli from the golden boy of English football to lost talent comes into sharper relief as he leaves Goodison for a loan spell at Besiktas.

Alli had the world at his feet when he joined from the Dons and looked like he was going to be a star when he scored twice and helped Spurs to a 3-1 victory over Real Madrid in the group stage of the European Championship.

Alli was a part of the England team that reached the World Cup semi-finals in Russia, but his influence and ability has plummeted ever since.

It seems the fire that gave him a fierce competitive edge to enhance his natural gifts has been extinguished, with even the pleading of then Spurs manager Jose Mourinho that Alli would regret wasting a potentially stellar career failing to re- ignite it.

A clause in his move to Beskitas meant that a £10m payment would have to be made after 20 appearances for Spurs to let him go.

Alli's drift is one of the most mysterious of all football mysteries, having won the Young Player of the Year twice in a row.

He has looked like a player who has lost his hunger for the game, a charge he will certainly deny, but the evidence is there that Alli has turned into a shadow of his former self.

Alli still has so much goodwill among those who want to see this special talent fulfilled, but the hopes of that actually coming to fruition are waning and Besiktas is his final chance to revive a career that has lost its way.