Former Milton Keynes Dons manager Karl Robinson has expressed his surprise at the meteoric rise enjoyed by Tottenham Hotspur superstar Dele Alli.

Alli is arguably one of the best young midfielders in the Premier League at the moment and one can be sure that the 20-year-old will only get better in the coming years.

Former boss Robinson handed Alli his professional debut at the age of just 16 but despite being aware of his immense talent, the current Charlton Athletic boss has stated that he has also been left surprised by the fact the Spurs star has already made such an impression in the England team.

Speaking on talkSPORT on Monday night, Robinson said: "He did it from 14 years of age stepping up to the [under]-15s, from the -15s to the -16s, from the -16s to the youth team and so on to the first-team.

"Whenever he was put up an age group, he would just play the same. Nothing could every really faze him. I always said he'd play for England one day, that was even when he was with us, but I never for one moment thought it would be this quick. You'd be a liar if you said it would be.

"It's down to the drive, and self-discipline away from football, and talent. He was an exceptional kid. Whenever I see him now he's not changed. He's still the same kid. The one thing that just overrides everything is he just loves football.

"If you said to him 'we're having a kickabout over there', he would turn up and play. He's just that type of young man where you put a ball at his feet and you don't know what he's going to do with it."