Young and upcoming English midfielder Dele Alli has decided to change his name on the top of his match shirt from Alli to Dele as he felt there was no connection to the Alli surname.
The North London club explained on their website that Alli will be retaining the number 20 on his shirt, but he had decided to display the name Dele on the back of his match shirt. The PFA Young Player of the Year revealed the reason to be a personal one.
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Dele said, "I wanted a name on my shirt that represented who I am and I feel I have no connection with the Alli surname. "This is not a decision I have taken without a lot of thought and discussion with family close to me."
The change in shirt name will come into effect immediately and the midfielder was seen playing with DELE on his shirt when Tottenham Hotspurs tok on Everton in their opening fixture of the 2016-17 Premier League campaign.
At the start of 2016, Dele’s mother Denise revealed that she had given her son away at the age of 13 while she battled alcoholism. The 20-year-old was adopted by Alan and Sally Hickford in 2009. “I knew that was the only way he could fulfil his dream of becoming a professional footballer, it was tough to give up my son but it proved to be his salvation.
“I'm so thankful for how things have turned out”, mother Denise told The Sun in January.
Alli’s father, Kenny Alli, is a Nigerian native currently living in the United States of America. He and Denise split within a week of their wedding which came a bit before their son was born, in April 1996. The Englishman joins Manchester United’s Memphis Depay as a Premier League player who will wear his forename on the back of his shirt.
At the age of 4, the Dutch winger’s father left him and his family, leaving him reluctant to use his surname.
Alli enjoyed a marvellous 2015-16 Premier League season. He ended the term with 10 goals and 9 assists, the most for a teenage midfielder in the history of the league. His impressive performances for Tottenham was the reason for his Euro 2016 selection.
