Dele Alli back in rhythm at Como alongside Walker-Peters

Dele Alli wasted no time getting down to business this summer. The England international has been hard at work on the shores of Lake Como, sweating through intensive drills with childhood friend and former Tottenham team-mate Kyle Walker-Peters as the Lombardy club prepare for Cesc Fabregas’s first full pre-season in charge.

Dele Alli targets Serie A revival after injury setbacks

The primary focus for Dele Alli, now 28, is simple: rediscover the sharpness that once made him Europe’s most talked-about young midfielder. After a hip operation curtailed his Everton stint and limited him to a single 32-minute cameo for Como in April, the playmaker has chosen to arrive early and work with specialised conditioning coaches in nearby training centres rather than wait for the official 8 July reporting date. Those sessions have concentrated on explosive first steps, change of direction and—most crucially—core stability, an area the player admits he neglected during his dramatic rise at Spurs.

Walker-Peters keeps options open during Como pre-season cameo

Full-back Kyle Walker-Peters, meanwhile, is technically unemployed after letting his Southampton contract run down. Tottenham have been linked with bringing their academy graduate back to north London, yet the 27-year-old sees value in a temporary Italian detour. Sources close to the player say Spurs staff have already received GPS and medical data from his Como workouts so they can monitor progress without committing to a transfer fee ahead of June’s strategic review.

Cesc Fabregas’s vision and why early arrivals matter

Cesc Fabregas earned promotion to Serie B last season by injecting possession-heavy principles borrowed from his Barcelona and Arsenal days. He wants preseason to simulate competitive intensity, and invited senior pros to touch base weeks in advance. Dele Alli responded first, arriving on 1 June; Walker-Peters followed three days later. Daily schedules begin with 6:30 a.m. yoga on the lakeside pier, shift to ball-work on Como’s immaculate training turf at 9 a.m., and close with altitude-chamber recovery inside a private clinic owned by club sponsor Villa d’Este.

Technical drills bring back Spurs chemistry

On Wednesday, supporters filming from a hill overlooking the ground caught a glimpse of the pair exchanging one-touch passes, under-lapping runs and trademark flick-round-the-corner combinations that once terrorised Premier League defences. Fabregas briefly joined the rondo, praising Alli’s “elastic hips” and Walker-Peters’s “ridiculous engine.” Insiders say the manager wants Alli operating as an inverted No. 8 this season, drifting between lines rather than hugging the box as he did at Tottenham.

Why Dele Alli believes Italy can reignite his career

Italy’s calmer media ecosystem is part of the attraction. Dele Alli has spoken candidly about mental-health struggles exacerbated by England’s goldfish bowl. In Como he can stroll the waterfront unbothered, sip espresso at the Piazza Cavour and focus on incremental gains. A Serie A promotion push would return him to continental limelight on his terms, not the tabloids’.

Potential impact on Tottenham transfer strategy

Should Walker-Peters prove his fitness, Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange may accelerate talks with Southampton for a cut-price return. Ange Postecoglou’s squad lacks a natural right-back to deputise for Pedro Porro, and the Australian coach remains an admirer of the academy graduate’s 1-v-1 defending. Having data from Como’s fitness trackers offers cost-effective due diligence.

Fitness numbers and early feedback

• Top speed: Walker-Peters hit 34.8 km/h, matching his Premier League average.
• High-intensity runs: Dele Alli completed 74 in a 30-minute mini-game, above the squad mean of 58.
• Heart-rate recovery: Both players dropped below 110 bpm within 90 seconds, a benchmark Fabregas sets for match readiness.

The road ahead: key dates

• 8 July: Full Como squad report for medicals.
• 13 July: Friendly vs Lugano, expected first appearance for Dele Alli since April.
• 27 July: Mini-tournament in Marbella featuring Villarreal B and Sporting Gijón.
• 17 August: Serie B opening weekend.

Financial angle: low-risk, high-upside

Everton continue to pay a portion of Dele Alli’s wages until his contract expires in 2025, reducing Como’s burden. The club inserted a clause allowing permanent purchase for a nominal fee should promotion be secured. For Walker-Peters, a short-term deal with a Premier League release clause is on the table.

Local reaction and supporter excitement

Tickets for open-training sessions sold out within 20 minutes of release after footage of Alli’s nutmeg on academy graduate Gabriel Boloca went viral. Merchandise sales for the No. 20 shirt—never retired after Gianluca Lapadula’s brief stint—are up 160 percent year-on-year.

Historical precedent: English revivals in Serie B

Joe Hart rebuilt confidence at Torino, while Fikayo Tomori’s Milan renaissance began with a modest loan. Dele Alli hopes to follow that path, using Italy’s tactical rigor to refine spatial awareness and defensive discipline.

Opinion: Why this gamble is worth watching

Fabregas is betting that technical talent, not muscle, will decide Serie B. In that environment, a rejuvenated Dele Alli could become the league’s standout creator, while Walker-Peters adds Premier League-level balance down the flank. If both stay fit, Como possess the kind of upside that attracts global attention—just the showcase Alli needs for an England recall or a fairy-tale return to Spurs. The lakeside experiment may look risky on paper, but sometimes the quietest settings produce the loudest comebacks.