Dele Alli provides Everton injury update as Toffees suffer late blow ahead of Chelsea

Dele Alli is hopeful he’s coming to the end of his Everton injury issues.

The midfielder hasn’t made a single appearance for the Toffees in 2023-24. Dele had hip surgery a year ago while he was on loan at Besiktas. He’s been working his way back to full fitness and was forced to have a groin operation earlier this year.

Everton have been patient with Dele, who joined from Tottenham Hotspur in January 2022 and has made 13 appearances for the club. The former England international is on punditry duty on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football for the Blues’ clash against Chelsea in the Premier League this evening. It is his first appearance since admitting last July that he had been in rehab for an addiction to sleeping pills in an interview with Gary Neville.

And Dele says that he can see ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ when it comes to a return to action. The ex-Spurs man said: “I’m doing really well. It's been nearly a year now [since his interview] but I'm feeling good. injured which is disappointing but I'm doing well. When I did that interview, it was the best I felt - coming out of rehab and getting back playing. Been tough but I'm just waiting to get back now.

“I’ve had to be patient and learn what patience is. It has been a long journey with the injury, ups and downs but it has helped me grow as a person.

“The pain of the injury is something I can really channel when I am back to help me keep motivated. Hopefully getting to the end of it. I can see the light at the end.”

Meanwhile, Sky Sports reports that Dominic Calvert-Lewin was not part of the Everton squad that arrived to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Manager Sean Dyche admitted the striker has been struggling with a hamstring injury at his pre-match press conference.