Dele Alli says he was surprised at the reaction to his emotional interview last year as forgotten Everton man gives update on his injury nightmare and reveals how it has helped him grow as a person

Dele Alli has offered an update on his fitness and discussed the reaction to his emotional  interview with Gary Neville last year.

The Everton midfielder made his punditry debut for Sky Sports as part of the broadcaster’s Monday Night Football coverage of his side’s visit to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea. 

Alli has yet to make an appearance for Sean Dyche‘s side this season as the Toffees continue to battle against relegation.

Asked about his ongoing recovery from injury Alli revealed that he is improving but remains unable to play. 

‘I’m doing really well,’ Alli said. ‘Like you said, obviously, it’s been a bit nearly a year now. But I’m feeling good. Obviously injured, which is disappointing. But yeah, I’m doing well.’

The Everton midfielder also described the ‘amazing’ outpouring of support he has received while on the sidelines

Alli’s appearance marked his first media appearance since an emotional interview with Neville on The Overlap last year where he opened up on a series of traumatic experiences he endured during his childhood and revealed he had spent time in rehab due to an addiction to sleeping pills.

The revelations were met with an outpouring of support from across the football world, and the former Tottenham star added it was ‘amazing’ seeing how many people he had helped.

‘I think when I said when I was on that, when I’d done the interview, I said to help one person, that was all,’ he continued. 

‘I needed to do it for my own reasons, obviously. But to help one person that was all I wanted from it, and the reaction I got and the support, you know, it was definitely overwhelming.’

‘But it was amazing to see how many people did help. And yeah, I’m definitely very proud of it. 

After falling out of favour at Tottenham Alli joined Everton in 2022 during Frank Lampard‘s time at the club.

In his maiden campaign at Goodison Park he made 11 appearances but injuries have since curtailed further involvement on the pitch outside of a brief loan spell with Besiktas last season.

The 28-year-old’s has been forced to watch Everton’s struggles from the sidelines this season with his last competitive appearance came during his final game in the Turkish top flight nearly 14 months ago.

Though he described being unable to play his part in the relegation battle as ‘tough’ Alli revealed he feels that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that he will soon be able to resume his career.

Monday’s Sky Sports broadcast marked his first media appearance since his powerful interview with Gary Neville

Alli joined Everton from Tottenham in 2022 but injuries have curtailed his involvement at Goodison Park

‘[The injury] is something I’ve learned a lot from, and it’s helped me grow even more as a person, which I’ll forever be thankful for. Because I’m not thankful to be injured, but to have this opportunity, and to, to really get to know myself and love myself. 

‘I think the pain of the injury is something I can really channel when I am back and help it to keep motivating me into something that I can learn from so this just been an injury problem that’s going on. 

‘Yeah, I can see the light at the end. I’m excited. Yeah, I think if you’d asked me before, injuries would be right at the top of my list of one of the things that would mentally would be the toughest thing to overcome. And before this my longest injury I had was like eight weeks, and that felt like forever.’