Losing a crucial player is always tough, and Tottenham look set to have to deal with that over the course of the next few months.
According to Calcio Mercato, the Belgian has decided to leave Tottenham, and as a result, he won’t be renewing his deal at the club. He has, of course, been a crucial part of everything that the Lilywhites have done over the years, and so he’ll be a very tough player to replace.
However, that doesn’t mean that he’s irreplaceable.
To the contrary, in fact, as there are a handful of talented midfielders that Spurs could turn to in search of their next Dembele. He’s lost his significance somewhat over the last year, anyway, and his overall form has been dipping for a while.
Here are TWO potential solutions…
Tanguy Ndombele
Tanguy Ndombele is perhaps the most comparative young player that Tottenham could bring in to replace Dembele. He’s a part of an incredibly talented crop of young midfielders at Lyon, and he’d bring a lot of the qualities that Tottenham’s Belgian maestro has delivered in recent years.
He’s strong and powerful, and that allows him to dominate games through the midfield. He’s also an incredibly smart player, and he’s always got a knack of getting himself in the way of the ball.
At just 21-years-old, he’s got an extremely bright future, and he’d thrive under Pochettino. That said, he wouldn’t be cheap, and he’s unproven in England, and so he does come with a few caveats.
Andre Gomes
Now, of course, Andre Gomes is currently on-loan from Barcelona with Everton, and so a January move wouldn’t be possible for the midfielder.
However, he’s only there for a year, and so come the end of the season, a move would certainly be possible.
In truth, Everton have arguably done Tottenham a favour by bringing him in. Though most likely recognised his brilliant quality, his spell at Barcelona has really hurt his reputation.
However, he’s quickly bringing that back with some commanding performances for the Toffees.
Like Dembele, Gomes is a real physical presence in the midfield, with bags of technical ability and dedication. He’s able to make an impact at both ends of the field, and his range of passing is brilliant.
If he keeps it up all season long, Pochettino can’t ignore Gomes.
