Tottenham's Dele Alli, center, kicks the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sept 13, 2020. (ALEX PANTLING / POOL VIA AP)

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has said Dele Alli “doesn’t need to be sacrificed” but that he wants a balanced squad and it is difficult to fit all of his players into it.

When asked if he wanted Dele Alli to stay at Spurs, Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho said: “I want a balanced squad, that’s what I want. He doesn’t need to be sacrificed, but the squad is a puzzle”

Alli was left out of Spurs’ 5-2 win against Southampton on Sunday and speculation over the England midfielder’s future has grown since he was substituted at halftime in their 1-0 defeat by Everton in their Premier League opener.

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The 24-year-old also missed the trip to Bulgaria for Spurs’ Europa League clash with Lokomotiv Plovdiv last week and British media have linked him with a move to Paris St-Germain.

“You could see our team. I cannot start with all of them and I cannot have a bench without defenders or midfielders. In the same way the squad is a puzzle, the bench is also a little puzzle,” said Mourinho.

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When asked if he wanted Alli to stay at Spurs, Mourinho said: “I want a balanced squad, that’s what I want. He doesn’t need to be sacrificed, but the squad is a puzzle.”

Spurs face Leyton Orient in the League Cup on Tuesday.