Dele Alli's reasons for transfer U-turn after Tottenham's offer to seven European clubs

Dele Alli has been handed a career lifeline by Everton after his shock deadline day move - but the former Tottenham outcast was on the cusp of a move to France before Frank Lampard intervened.

Alli was an integral cog in the Spurs side that came within a whisker of both Premier League and Champions League glory under Mauricio Pochettino in recent years.

But the midfielder's career has nosedived ever since Pochettino left the club.

The 25-year-old has struggled to replicate the heroics that he seemed to conjure up on an almost weekly basis at the beginning of his Tottenham career under Pochettino's successor, Jose Mourinho.

And that has proved to be the case under Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte over the past 18 months too.

With that in mind, both Spurs and Alli were eager for the ex-England star to make a fresh start this month - and that looked set to be in France.

But despite Tottenham offering Alli to a clutch of Ligue 1 clubs, including Lyon and reigning champions Lille, on loan, Everton swooped in on deadline day after Lampard was appointed as their new boss.

And according to L'Equipe, it was Lampard who was instrumental in Alli's decision to pull the plug on a switch to France.

They claim that the opportunity to revive his career and learn from Lampard, the most prolific midfielder in Premier League history, was too good an opportunity for the ex-Spurs man to turn down.

After making their move, the Toffees managed to beat the deadline and wrap up a unique transfer that sees Alli move to Merseyside for nothing, initially.

But the deal could end up earning Tottenham around £40million if a number of performance-related clauses are met.

During his seven years in N17, Alli established himself as one