Dele Alli revealed just how close he came to joining Liverpool from MK Dons during the start of his career.

After graduating from the Dons’ academy, Alli burst onto the scene in his first full season in senior football, netting seven goals in all competitions during the 2013-14 season at just 17-years-old.

Alli’s performances in League One had caught the eye of several top flight clubs including Liverpool, the team he had supported growing up.

With Luis Suarez in incredible form, Brendan Rodgers’ Reds were embarking on a title challenge that would ultimately see them miss out on winning the Premier League by just two points.

After Alli netted for the Dons in a win against Coventry in April 2014, Rodgers had a meeting with him with the view to bring the prodigious talent to Anfield.

Speaking on Monday Night Football, Alli revealed that he felt ready to make the step up to the Premier League at that time: ‘So after the game, Liverpool would play in West Ham, I think in London.

‘And then I went to meet Brendan Rodgers after that game, the night before the Liverpool game, and we had a conversation, but it never happened.

‘I felt at that time I was ready to take the next step.’

Alli would ultimately remain MK Dons, enjoying an even more prolific campaign the following season that would see him join Spurs in the January window.

After agreeing a five-and-a-half year deal with the North London club, the midfielder would return to the Stadium MK on loan for the remainder of the season, and went on to help the club secure promotion to the Championship.

‘I wanted to go [back to the Dons on loan] because, I wanted to see the team get promoted.’ Alli continued.

‘Obviously it was my local team and we were second in the league. So I wanted to go back and try and help them finish that off. Because by that time, [I knew] I’d be definitely ready to go to the Premier League.’