Dissecting the rumour: Dele Alli

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Pep Guardiola's struggles at Manchester City this season are well-documented—out of the title race, out of the FA cup and although a top 4 finish looks secure it's been a hard road getting there. This wasn't what City were expecting when the 'World's Greatest Manager' arrived to such fanfare in the summer. A difficulty imposing his style and some players suffering through stretches of poor form have added up to mediocre performances at times. For a team challenging for the title their defence has been diabolical, and while eleven clean sheets so far this season is commendable it shouldn't be used to deflect criticism of City's back line. Fans have suggested that Pep needs time and that this is 'not his team'. So it's natural to expect a summer of movement and big spending, with one player apparently near the top of the list—Dele Alli, of Tottenham.

Show me the money

Reports are already popping up in the tabloids linking Spurs' dynamic attacking midfielder with a move to City—possibly for a world record fee, or close to it. The figures being mentioned are a reflection both of Alli's burgeoning status, but also of his parent club's firm desire to keep him exactly where he is. Tottenham aren't necessarily a 'selling club' any longer, with a self-funded stadium already taking shape around their existing ground and a balance sheet the envy of every other chairman in the Premier League. Of course, that won't matter if City can turn Alli's head with the offer of gigantic wages. It just feels hollow considering Spurs' improvement under Pochettino.

Quality of the rumour

The rumour has only surfaced in the tabloids so far, particularly The Sun—famed for its accurate reporting and attention to detail. So it's obviously a surprise to discover they based their big story of Manchester City wanting Alli on a fake interview with Xavi. The legendary Barcelona midfielder has already been quick to debunk the story claiming that he has never spoken to the publication, nor discussed Dele Alli with any newspaper. The Sun's record, when it comes to Tottenham transfers isn't particularly good to be fair, with just 20% of rumoured transfers actually becoming reality (a ratio of 109/523!).

So perhaps there's not much to this specific story—and the other rumours of Alli to City have all appeared in similar newspapers, so it's difficult to lend it too much credence yet. It's not ridiculous to think that City would want to acquire more 'homegrown' players this summer, and with Alli having just won the PFA Young Player award for the second year running he ticks most boxes. However, at this point it seems more likely that teammate Kyle Walker will be the focus of City's attentions over the transfer window for the same reasons.

There's also the general state of City's squad to consider. There are several players on the wrong side of thirty that Guardiola would prefer not to have to rely on anymore—in particular, Vincent Kompany. An injury-ravaged season has been difficult for both the player and his team, and he is likely going to be expensive to replace. It might be that a world-record setting transfer for Alli will be too expensive given other needed acquisitions.

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