The family controversy that Dele Alli prefers to ignore is set to escalate, with claims from his estranged parents' camp that BBC's Panorama have shown interest in the unhappy story.
The England star has lived with Alan and Sally Hickford since he was 13 and his best friend is their son Harry, who played alongside Alli in the MK Dons academy. Alli regards the Hickfords, who have never officially adopted him, as his mother and father.
The Hickfords help look after the Tottenham midfielder's business affairs, including setting up property investment and image rights companies for a footballer who has the potential to break the world transfer record if he moves on from Spurs.