Dele Alli has confirmed he is leaving Everton in an emotional social media post.
The former England international's contract at Goodison Park expired over the summer but he continued to train with the club in a bid to regain full fitness.
There you have recently been linked with a move to Serie A, the new boys from Como, led by former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
The 28-year-old has further fueled rumors of a move to Italy by announcing his Everton come out in an Instagram post on Friday.
In the post, he sent his sincere thanks to Everton, their staff, players and fans for supporting him in his bid to return to football, despite not being officially on their books.
It said: “As widely published this week, 2025 may set me on a new path with some exciting opportunities.
“Before this happens, it is very important for me to make it clear how grateful I am to all the fans, staff and players at Everton FC for the support they have given me.
“It has been an incredibly tough journey trying to put the final pieces together to regain match fitness and I can't thank the Everton staff enough for the hard work they have put into this process.
“Unfortunately, things have not gone as we would have all hoped and I think it is the right time to turn the page.
“I want to wish everyone at this incredible club the best of luck and I hope we see each other again soon.”
The attacking midfielder was one of English football's brightest talents when he burst onto the scene at Tottenham in the 2015/16 season.
He then spent seven years in north London, recording 67 goals and 58 assists in 269 appearances in all competitions.
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There he was a permanent fixture under then-chief Mauricio Pochettino and was named in the starting eleven for the 2019 Champions League final defeat to Liverpool.
But things quickly turned sour for Alli after he fell out of favor with Spurs, leading to his transfer to Everton.
Injuries hampered his time at Goodison Park and an unfortunate loan spell at Turkish giants Besiktas did little to help him return to fitness.
The 28-year-old later revealed in an interview that he became addicted to sleeping pills after his stay in Türkiye and spoke bravely about his difficult childhood.
Alli recently revealed his aim to make a blockbuster return and is aiming to return to the England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Fabregas could be a key figure in helping Alli realize his dream by luring him to Como, where the Spaniard also holds a position as a minority shareholder.
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The former Tottenham star was seen in the stands of Como alongside a host of Hollywood stars including Keira Knightley, Adrien Brody and Michael Fassbender during Como's 2-0 victory over Roma last Sunday.
When asked about the possibility of Alli succeeding in Como, Fabregas said: “I met him yesterday.
“I don't want to talk too much about this, but maybe there is a chance that he will start training with us after Christmas.
“Let's see. It would be to help him get in shape and nothing more.
“For now, we must enjoy tonight. We must talk about Como, Gabrielloni and the boys. This is the most important thing.”
