Xavi Hernandez has always been a huge admirer of British football. The iconic Barcelona midfielder has often expressed his admiration for some of the biggest names the UK has ever seen. He even once named his all-time British XI.
Among the legendary figures he looked up to when first breaking into the sport was English icon Paul Gascoigne. The innovative superstar was one of the very best players on the planet during his peak years at Newcastle United and Tottenham.
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Potentially the most naturally gifted Englishman of all time, Gascoigne was someone youngsters dreamed of emulating. Xavi, despite being Spanish, was no different. He has admitted to studying the Spurs icon several times in the past, with his admiration shining through. Therefore, when he compared a young talent to Gazza in 2017, it can be considered one of the biggest compliments possible.
Xavi on England's 'Next Paul Gascoigne' in 2017
'There is no doubt he is very special'
Speaking to The Mirror in January 2017, Xavi was full of praise for Tottenham youngster Dele Alli. The attacking midfielder had burst onto the Premier League scene, reaching 20 goals faster than the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.
World Cup-winning icon Xavi waxed lyrical about Alli, who was one of the most promising players on the planet at the time. He said: "There are some very promising young English midfield players -- and there is no doubt he is very special.
"He is very talented, very technical. I can understand why the Tottenham fans are hoping he is the next Paul Gascoigne.
"For me, Gascoigne was an inspiration when I was developing, one of the best midfield players I have ever seen. It is important not to put pressure on Dele with these comparisons but I can see why fans are excited."
Any comparison to Gascoigne was going to apply pressure to Alli. While the England international continued to impress for several years in north London, his career has since taken a downturn. After suffering multiple injury issues, speaking out about childhood trauma and an ill-fated spell at Everton, the ex-Spurs ace hasn't reached the heights expected at the time of Xavi's comments.
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The Barcelona hero did make the point that consistency would be key to Alli's career. He added: "For him to be at the very top level, he needs to consistently play well and put in big performances against the big clubs both in England in Europe. He has the capabilities to be able to do just that."
Xavi Denies Pep Guardiola and Dele Alli Claim
It was claimed that the Spaniard linked Alli with Man City
The same year as his Gascoigne comparisons, it was claimed by The Sun that Xavi had talked up the prospect of Alli joining Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. The midfield maestro was quoted as saying (per Sky Sports):
"Technically, he's the type of player that [Pep] likes, he would adapt perfectly to his style of play. It's difficult to imagine Tottenham letting him leave, even though City have huge resources."
However, Xavi told SPORT that he 'never' spoke with the UK publication about the player and 'neither' about a potential move to Guardiola's side.