In the Como club store on Via Olignate, through the back of the shop, there are six shirts, three-by-three, mounted on a wall. Each shirt has the name of one of this season’s heroes and each is signed with its own personal message. 

The shirts belong to the biggest names at the club, from local icon Patrick Cutrone to golden boy Nico Paz. They sit beside the personalisation station, a kind of mini catalogue for fans before they make their final decision. There is a seventh star vying for a place on that wall. For now though, the new No 8 will have to wait.

Dele Alli hasn’t arrived by the lake to much fanfare. That’s suited the former Tottenham midfielder and his new club just fine. Originally invited by the club to join them at their training centre in Mozzate to help build his fitness, his attitude and aptitude saw him offered an 18-month contract in January.

Since then there have been small setbacks and hard work. Reports suggesting that he may not be able to return to first team action this season were proven wide of the mark last weekend when he was named in Como’s match day squad for the first time for their trip to Roma. 

After experiencing match day for the first time in more than two years in the Eternal City, it was time for his first dose of home comforts. Once again head coach Cesc Fabregas named Alli in his match day squad for the visit of Venezia. 

Como is a stage that, on paper, suits Alli down to the ground. The stylishness and swagger of the city is something his football has always possessed in bundles. It’s an identity the club have leaned into, too, with its own clothing brands and bespoke link ups with adidas. There are few other players as ready-made for a photo-shoot as Alli.

Getting in front of cameras is far from the priority, though. For now, the focus is on getting back on the pitch. His first experience of being part of the matchday squad at Stadio Sinigaglia was one bathed in sunshine as spring finally reared its head.

He appeared from the bunker the teams climb out of alongside the other substitutes, the starting eleven given the opportunity to enter the pitch first to take the adulation of the crowd. Blue tape clung to his left hamstring and around his left knee, a sign of the struggles that he has been battling in his bid to reach this point.

Alli joined other reserves in getting a feel for the ball, and his new surroundings, before heading to the corner flag for a different session. He spent the walk across looking for familiar faces in the main stand, trying to pick out those close to him that had made the trip to be there.

He took his place on the bench for a tetchy first half, which saw little in the way of attacking threat from the hosts. You got the sense a fully-fit Alli would have been licking his lips at the prospect of poking holes in this porous Venezia defence. Instead, it is left to the likes of Paz to find those holes for now, the Argentine forcing Ionut Radu into a smart stop with Como’s only meanginful opening.

At the break, another chance to get acquainted with his new home turf. Alli crossed himself as he retook to the pitch after re-emerging from the tunnel to join his teammates. The 28-year-old constantly stretched, donkey-kicked and squatted in between touches of the ball as he thought towards his first minutes of Serie A action.

This may be an older Alli, a slightly stiffer, less supple version of the kid that dazzled for Spurs and England. But the enjoyment of being back in the thick of things was there for all to see. His touch still sharp, heel flicks and round-the-world tricks were performed with a grin on his face, one of a man ready to enjoy the second chance he’s been given.

It’s a chance he fully entends to take and he’s made no secret about his desire to make Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad next year. For now, he’s taking it one squad at a time.

The resumption of the second half saw the introduction of Jonathan Ikone, Alli giving his fellow January arrival a huge high five as he prepared to make his way on to the pitch.

He has had to watch all of his fellow winter signings make their mark, with this occasion no different – Ikone taking his opportunity off the bench to grab the equaliser.

Alli stepped up his preparations down the side of the pitch in the hope that his own chance might finally arrive. The introduction of Anastasios Douvikas in the 73rd minute for Assane Diao ended that thought.

He took his place back on the bench for the rest of the match, but his job wasn’t done. One of the key elements stressed by Fabregas in Alli’s arrival is his ability to mentor, to show leadership through his experience.

That was in full view after the disastrous final moments of the match when Ivan Smolcic needlessly gave away a penalty, Christian Gytkjaer converting it with the last kick of the game.

Alli was the first to head onto the pitch at full-time to console his teammates, twice approaching a clearly distraught Smolcic, the defender coming to terms with his own role in two points dropped.

What followed was his first experience of saluting the Curva, a flat occasion this time around after the late goal, before warming down with the rest of the unused substitutes.

As he made his way back down to the changing room he finally managed to pick out that familiar face – his adopted brother Harry Hickford and his partner had stuck around to the end to see him off the pitch.

There will come a time where the entire Sinigaglia will be on its feet to see Alli off the field. For now though, the new No 8 will have to wait.