Karl Robinson shares what Dele Alli told him amid West Ham United transfer latest
Dele Alli has reportedly been training with West Ham United.
The former Tottenham Hotspur man has been without a club since leaving Serie A side Como in September 2025.
Alli played just one game for Como and lasted only 10 minutes before being sent off.
The 30-year-old's career has sadly stagnated in recent seasons since leaving Spurs, with spells at Everton and Besiktas proving unsuccessful.
The attacking midfielder, who has 37 England caps to his name, is now looking for another opportunity to kick-start his career.
Out-of-work EFL boss Karl Robinson, who has managed over 800 games, knows Alli well and recently spoke to him about returning to football.
What did Dele Alli say to Karl Robinson?
It remains to be seen how much, if any, interest the Hammers have in signing Alli on a permanent deal.
On the one hand, it could just be a favour to help him get sharp and find a club elsewhere, but on the other Nuno Espirito Santo may be taking a closer look to see if he is worth a contract.
Robinson, sacked by Salford earlier this summer, gave Alli his first-team breakthrough when he was a teenager playing at MK Dons.
He bumped into Alli while he was working on a training programme in Marbella, and gave an insight into what he told him.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Robinson said: "I had about an hour just chatting to him, just bumped into him really.
"We spoke just about football in general, about how well he feels and how he wants to get himself back playing and how he seeks an opportunity.
"I think being away from football for so long, he was saying before about a pre-season, being away from a training ground for six weeks, it can be difficult to come back in and hit the ground running."
Robinson believes West Ham would be abundantly aware of the talent Alli possesses if they were to take a chance.
He added: "And at the end of the day, if he is given this opportunity and he goes in to West Ham and hits the ground running, they know they're going to have such a talented footballer. But that's down to him. It's not down to anybody else now.
"I think it's about him just putting his boots back on and doing something that he loves."
Should West Ham take a punt on Dele Alli?
Everyone in world football is really wishing Alli well given how bravely he spoke about suffering abuse as a child.
From West Ham's perspective, it would have to make financial sense to cut a deal for Alli.
If the numbers make sense or they could come to a bonus-heavy agreement, then it could definitely be worth looking into.
Alli's talent is not in question, but he does not have a whole of football under his belt in recent seasons, so there are going to be natural questions about whether his body can cope with the rigours of Championship football.
If he could get himself into good shape, though, then Alli could be exactly the sort of wildcard signing who could make a huge difference as West Ham look to bounce straight back to the Premier League.