"It would be sad to see Son Heung-min who went to LA." Ali, who overcame drugs and abuse, is in the midst of training for 'reemployment' at Tottenham Training Center after release

*This content was translated by AI.

Former Tottenham teammate Dele Alli (29) of Son Heung-min (34, LA FC) returned to his former team's training ground to find his next destination.

England's "Football London" reported on the 5th (Korea Standard Time) that "Ali is using the academy pitch inside Tottenham's Hotspur Way training ground to boost his stamina."

According to reports, Ali, who attended the North London Derby as a special guest last month, is reportedly staying in London after the match and continuing his personal training without his team.

Ali stood in front of home fans at half-time against Arsenal and said, "I hope you missed me as much as I missed you," adding, "There have been many things on our journey, but you are always my family."

Ali performed brilliantly, winning the English Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Young Player of the Year Award for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons in a row and being named the English Premier League (EPL) Team of the Year.

However, due to poor form, he moved to Everton in January 2022 and was released on loan from Besiktas amid frequent injuries. He later joined Italian Serie A club Como, but played in only one game and tackled Ruben Loftus-Cheek, leaving him to be sent off just minutes later.

He also had a hard time both inside and outside of football. Ali had confessed in an interview in 2023 to his shocking past that he was sexually abused as a child and forced to trade drugs at the age of eight. He also confessed that he had been rehabilitated for six weeks due to sleeping pill addiction and mental health problems after the end of Besiktas' lease, causing fans to feel sorry for him.

At that time, Son Heung-min also left a message of encouragement for Ali's courageous confession. The two spent seven seasons together at Tottenham, boasting fantastic chemistry and friendship before Ali fell into a slump. Son Heung-min said on his SNS, "Your courageous words will help many people. I'm proud of you, my friend."

Recently, Ali has been burning his will to return by sharing intense training videos such as pass drills and shooting practice on his social media (SNS). The media said, "In line with the rumors of Mauricio Pochettino's return to Tottenham in the 2026-2027 season, expectations are growing for a 'romantic return' where the two mentor-student relationship will regroup at Tottenham."

"Tottenham is always connected to me," Pochettino said in a recent interview. "We are currently focusing on the upcoming World Cup with the U.S. national team, but all possibilities are open after the end of the contract."

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*This content was translated by AI.