Steven Gerrard laments Liverpool not beating Spurs to sign Dele Alli as his long-term replacement

Steven Gerrard is disappointed Liverpool did not sign Tottenham Hotspur star Dele Alli from MK Dons amid reports in the summer of 2014 linking his former club with the England international. The LA Galaxy star believes when his career at Anfield was coming to an end, the 19-year-old would have been a perfect replacement.

Alli was reportedly under the radar of a number of Premier League clubs after he garnered a big reputation at MK Dons. Spurs beat other suitors for the talented midfielder in February after agreeing to pay £5m ($7.5m) to secure his services before sending him back to his former side for the remainder of the 2014-15 season, where he played a crucial role with 16 goals and nine assists in 39 appearances.

At the time, some questioned the fee paid for a teenager with no experience in the top flight. However, Gerrard believes it was a gamble that was going to pay off in the long term as he is proving during a sensational start to the campaign.

"I was actually disappointed Liverpool didn't sign him," he said to BT Sport. "I thought he was certainly a player Liverpool might've tried to go for, especially with me coming to the end. He's certainly a player that could play for Liverpool for 15 years, he's got that ability.

"He looks ahead of me as far as England games and appearances are concerned. He's got more experience because he came through at MK Dons, which has helped him progress and make the impact he has done at Tottenham. He's a very exciting player; we'll have to see how his career works out but he's got all the tools to become a top player domestically, but also in Europe as well."