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Dele Alli has not gone AWOL from Besiktas

Dele Alli has not gone AWOL from Besiktas - PA/Peter Byrne

Dele Alli has not gone AWOL from Besiktas – PA/Peter Byrne

Dele Alli has not gone absent without leave at Besiktas as has been claimed by outspoken coach Senol Gunes but is in London after the Turkish club agreed to allow him to attend a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday.

Alli has email confirmation from the club giving him permission after they were informed earlier this week.

Gunes also claimed Alli was not answering phone calls and Besiktas could not get hold of the former England midfielder. It appears to amount to scaremongering.

Gunes suggested Alli – who was allowed some time off from training during the international break – may not have returned to the club “because it’s raining” and said he “hoped he didn’t have an accident”.

Gunes added: “Dele Alli could not come at this time. It’s raining, I guess that’s why he couldn’t come. We’re trying to hear from him. We could not reach you by phone. Hopefully he didn’t have an accident.”

Gunes has already banished the 26-year-old from the first-team squad and suggested that he will not play for Besiktas again this season.

Alli is on loan at Besiktas, who have already said they will not take up the option to sign him permanently, and as things stand he is due to return to Everton at the end of this season. He has one more year left on his contract after joining from Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer in January 2022. His career has come under intense scrutiny in recent seasons.

It is understood that Gunes has told Alli, who has played just 254 minutes in 2023, he can leave Besiktas now if he wants to – the only league he could potentially go to would appear to be the MLS – but the player wants to fight for his place and hopefully see out his loan spell.