Frank Lampard blasted over latest Dele Alli snub: 'Why did you buy him?'

Stephen Warnock has questioned why Frank Lampard signed Dele Alli in the first place after the Everton boss kept him on the bench during Sunday’s defeat at West Ham.

Deemed as one of the most talented midfield players in Europe just four years ago, Alli has endured a dramatic fall from grace which has seen him become little more than an afterthought for both club and country. Having failed to impress Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espírito Santo and Antonio Conte at Tottenham, the 25-year-old was allowed to leave the club in January.

He subsequently joined Everton, hours after Frank Lampard’s appointment with the hope that linking up with the Chelsea legend could revitalise his stalling career. But Alli has yet to start a single game for the relegation-threatened Toffees and has made little to no positive impact on Merseyside.

Against the Hammers, Donny van de Beek picked up an injury in the warm-up, appearing to open the door for Alli to come in, only for Lampard to play Mason Holgate out of position. Sky Sports pundit Warnock blasted that decision and asked why he signed the player if he had no intention of using him.

“I look at the team yesterday and Van de Beek goes out the team and he puts Holgate into midfield and I’m thinking: ‘Why did you buy Dele Alli?’. What is Dele Alli doing at that football club now? What is Dele Alli thinking stood on the sidelines? What must he be doing in training to not get in that team?

“Whether it’s attitude, whether it’s fitness, whether it’s confidence…as an Everton fan I’d be stood there thinking: ‘Why are you playing Holgate in midfield? He’s a centre back or a right back, not a central midfielder playing in the Premier League. This is bizarre for me.”

Lampard has previously defended