Tottenham Hotspur’s clash with the reigning Italian champions, Juventus, in the Champions League Round of Sixteen fixture was an intriguing game of football. Both the sides showcased players possessing staggering qualities and the game certainly lived up to the expectations. Although Massimiliano Allegri’s troops secured a place in the quarter-finals of the elite European competition, Spurs left no stone unturned to earn rave reviews from the football fraternity.
Juventus were impressed by the performances of many players of the opposition and Mousa Dembele was one of them. Dembele worked tirelessly throughout the pitch, dictated the tempo of the game when his side were in possession and was really strong on the ball. In fact, one of the latest reports by talkSPORT has stated that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder could become Juventus’ number one target in the summer.
Dembele joined the north London based outfit from cross-town rivals, Fulham, in the summer of 2012. He took time to settle in the ranks of the Lilywhites and his career was derailed at times owing to injuries. However, he has been performing well for quite some time now after his resurgence from injury problems and has established himself as one of the most important players for Spurs under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino.
So far this season, the Belgian international has accumulated 22 appearances in the Premier League, making 1.3 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 0.3 clearance per game on an average apart from jotting down a pass completion rate of 92.6%, which is quite appealing. He has settled into the side and there is no denying that the Lilywhites should be reluctant to sanction his move to the Allianz Stadium.
Pochettino has a number of options to cater to his central midfield needs, with the likes of Dele Alli, Harry Winks, Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama being available in his books. However, Dembele is someone who is currently one of the finest midfielders in Europe with plenty of experience under his belt. He is an astute passer of the ball and contributes massively to meet his side’s defensive needs.
The 30-year-old is a shrewd tackler, is an excellent dribbler and his strong physical presence in the midfield does render an added advantage to Spurs as it allows him to hold the ball meticulously. Besides, he is a composed customer and manoeuvres clever actions to eliminate the attacking endeavours of the opposition. If he is allowed to leave, his presence would be sorely missed in the heart of the pitch and it goes without saying that his absence would be a big loss for Spurs.
