Dele Alli has spoken of his delight after netting in his first outing for Tottenham Hotspur.
The England Under-19s international signed for Spurs in the final moments of the 2015 winter transfer window, but was immediately loaned back to MK Dons for the remainder of the season.
After returning to North London for pre-season training, he made his first appearance in a Spurs shirt as they beat Brentford 2-1 in a behind closed doors friendly at Hotspur Way.
And Alli – who scored a late penalty in the victory – was delighted to get off the mark straight away.
Dele Alli celebrates after helping MK Dons win promotion to the Championship
“I know it’s pre-season but it’s always good for the confidence to be winning games,” he told the club’s official website.
“It’s also a huge weight off my shoulders to get that first goal because sometimes you can get into a run of form where you just can’t find a goal, so I’m happy to pick up where I left off last season.”
Alli’s form in 2014-15 – when he scored 16 goals in 38 games – earned him the accolade of Football League Young Player of the Year and a place in the PFA’s League One Team of the Year.
A box-to-box midfielder, threatening the opposition goal is a part of the game the 19-year-old says he enjoys.
“I like to get forward," he told TheFA.com in April. "When I first broke into the [MK Dons] team I was put out on the left wing for the first time.
“The manager said it was to help me focus and concentrate on my forward attacking play. Before that I was more defensive.
Dele Alli in action for England Under-19s against Germany in September 2014
"I set myself a target at the start of the season, I reached 16 goals, and I've been working on my finishing and forward runs."
Alli has also made his mark at international level – and is equally ambitious.
He made his debut for the Under-17s in August 2012 and has since gone on to make a further 14 appearances for the Youth Lions at Under-18s and Under-19s levels.
And he says he wants to continue his ascent up the age groups – all the way to the senior side.
"I'm not going to lie and say it isn't [a target]," he continued.
“My aim is to eventually get into the seniors, so any age-group I play in the better for me”
Dele Alli on long-term England ambitions
"You want to do as well as you can. The aim is to eventually get into the first-team.
"Obviously the next step to that is the U21s and that's the aim for me to try and break into that squad or the U20s."
He continued: "I really enjoyed playing for the U19s last year.
"We played a real attractive game, and we liked to play football and that is what I'm used to so it wasn't like I was going away and playing a whole new style.
“My aim is to eventually get into the seniors, so any age-group I play in the better for me.”
