Alli to sign shirts for Spurs fans

Midfielder Dele Alli will wear ‘Dele’ on the back of his shirt this season and has told all Tottenham Hotspur supporters that have had ‘Alli’ printed on the back of replica shirts they can send them into the club for him to sign.

Alli’s father moved to America a week after he was born and, with his mother battling against alcoholism, at the age of 13 the former MK Dons star moved into the house of Alan and Sally Hickford, though he was never formally adopted.

The 20-year-old said: “I wanted a name on my shirt that represented who I am and I feel I have no connection with the Alli surname.

“This is not a decision I have taken without a lot of thought and discussion with family close to me.”

(Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Alli, whose full name is actually Bamidele, scored ten goals in 33 Premier League games for Spurs last season.

He missed the final three matches of the 2015/16 campaign through suspension, after being retrospectively banned for punching West Bromwich Albion midfielder Claudio Yacob in the summer.

However, he is available to manager Mauricio Pochettino for this afternoon’s trip to Everton.