Three players who could replace Mousa Dembele at Tottenham Hotspur
According to Calciomercato, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele has offered his services to Juventus. The 31-year-old Belgian has only one year remaining on his current contract which is set to expire next summer. Interestingly, some top Italian and Chinese clubs have expressed their willingness to sign the veteran (h/t Calciomercato).
Dembele was the subject of interest from Napoli and Inter Milan in the summer transfer window but the clubs were reluctant to meet the €30million price tag slammed by Spurs. (h/t Calciomercato)
An earlier report by Express had claimed that Dembele was ready to leave the club because he felt his body would no longer be able to cope with the intensity of the Premier League and Mauricio Pochettino’s tedious training sessions.
Dembele’s body has moaned and groaned over his past eight seasons in English football and the 31-year-old has been quite a familiar name in the injury list. He has found it difficult to keep himself fit and has always struggled with small injuries.
With Dembele potentially set to leave the club, Tottenham must sign a replacement in January. Here are three realistic options for Pochettino.
1. Adrien Rabiot
The 23-year-old Frenchman was subjected to attention from Liverpool but further negotiations were stalled as the Reds later decided to abandon their interest in the talented midfielder. (h/t The Sun)
Rabiot is in the last year of his current contract which runs until the summer of 2019, meaning the player will be allowed to negotiate with other clubs in January to sign a pre-contract agreement.
The PSG star should be the perfect replacement for Dembele. Despite being only 23, Rabiot has been playing top-flight football for the French giants since 2012 and has already made a total of 223 appearances for the Ligue 1 giants across all competitions.
The Frenchman is a complete midfielder with his ability to contribute to the attack as well as the defence. While his technique, range of passing and remarkable vision make him a perfect deep-lying playmaker; his positioning, tackling and ball interception skills allow him to fit the plans as a box-to-box midfielder.
2. Amadou Diawara
The 21-year-old Guinean plies his trade for Napoli in the Serie A and was linked to Spurs in the summer transfer window. He has three years remaining on his current contract but the Lilywhites were willing to pay his €25m release clause to land the player (h/t Football London).
However, the deal fell through after Napoli’s new boss Carlo Ancelotti rejected a staggering €40million bid made by Spurs. (h/t Calciomercato)
But Pochettino, guilty of not signing reinforcements in the summer, should try to come up with an improved bid in January to secure the services of the 21-year-old star.
Diawara’s excellent technique allows him to receive the ball in the centre of the park with minimal errors. The Guinean combines his good positional sense with his excellent presence of mind to make crucial interceptions and is adept at cutting out the attacks while operating in a deep position in the midfield.
3. William Carvalho
The 26-year-old was a seasoned campaigner for Sporting Lisbon for the last seven years. However, he joined La Liga club Real Betis this summer on a five-year contract.
A part of Portugal’s team that won the 2016 Euro Cup, Carvalho is one of the best defensive midfielders in the La Liga. But given the fact that he recently signed a long-term contract, Spurs must break the bank to sign him.
Standing at 6 ft 3 inches with a massive frame, Carvalho boasts of commendable physicality and has the ability to dominate the opposition in the air. A good reader of the game in the centre of the park, Carvalho rarely mistimes his tackles and interceptions and always adds solidity to the midfield.
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Not only is his range of passing excellent but he also has the ability to play as a shield for the rearguard.
