Eric Dier says he ‘has lots of regrets’ and admits to being ‘disappointed he didn’t do more’ to help Dele Alli

ERIC DIER has admitted that he has “lots of regrets” and wishes that he had “done more” for Dele Alli.

Dier and Alli forged a close friendship during their time at Tottenham together.

Eric Dier spoke about his friendship with Dele Alli in a conversation with Gary Neville

Dele Alli opened up about his childhood during an emotional interview last summer

Dele and Dier became close friends during their time at TottenhamGetty Images – Getty

Alli joined up with Spurs in 2015, a year after Dier signed from Sporting Lisbon.

The duo played together for six-and-a-half years, before Alli left for Everton in January 2022.

Last summer the former England star, 27, made a series of heartbreaking revelations while chatting with Gary Neville.

They included being sexually abused by a friend of his mum aged six.

In addition to dealing drugs from the age of eight, and entering rehab for six weeks last year after becoming addicted to sleeping pills.

Last summer a tearful Dier, 30, revealed his anguish at what his close pal had been though.

Now appearing on The Overlap, presented by Sky Bet, Dier said of Alli’s interview last summer: “It’s difficult for me to talk about Dele.

“I speak to him all the time, every week, obviously it was just very difficult to watch.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the whole video, I’ve seen bits of it but it’s difficult for me to watch, he said some nice things about me, but it works both ways – he’s also been a great friend to me.

“It annoys me a little because people after that interview would talk to me, but he’s been a great friend to me as well – Dele is a special person.

“I remember, I was getting married and knew that he was in America, in rehab, and I spoke to him a few times and said that there would be no problem if he couldn’t come and he was almost insulted, he came and was there for me – that’s the type of friend he’s been to me. 

“I’m disappointed that I didn’t do more, in many situations that I look back on I wasn’t aware of the full picture and there’s a lot of things – I was that annoying older person, I would always be on his case so he would hide things from me.

“Or tell me something but give just 20 per cent of it – I have a lot of regrets and there were certain times that I wish I did more.”

Alli and Dier both represented England at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.

While the latter also made the Three Lions’ squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Alli scored 67 goals in 269 appearances for Tottenham before joining Everton two years ago.

He has played 13 times for the Toffees in what’s been an injury-plagued spell at Goodison Park.

Last season he made 15 appearances for Besiktas during a loan spell, scoring three goals, but returned after suffering with a serious thigh injury.

He is yet to feature for Everton this season, with his contract set to expire this summer.

Dier, meanwhile, left Spurs in January after nine-and-a-half years in North London, reuniting with Harry Kane at Bayern Munich.

Dier and Alli played together at Tottenham between 2015 and 2022Rex