The resident Lilywhites in the Transfer Tavern are concerned by rumours linking Mousa Dembele with a move away from the club.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a decent opening to the campaign, but they will need to see an improvement in their results during the second half of the season if they wish to safely secure a place in the top-four this season.  Pochettino may seek to stimulate an improvement through the acquisition of some quality talent during the January transfer window.

However, according to reports emerging from the Italian media, Pochettino’s immediate concern should be persuading his current crop of players to remain in North-London this month, as Corriere Dello Sport have reported that Mousa Dembele could be set for a move to AC Milan this month.

Dembele has been Tottenham’s lynchpin at the heart of the midfield since his move from Fulham in the summer of 2012, but he has struggled to reach his usual high standard this season.

The Belgian did suffer an ankle injury earlier in the campaign that ruled him out for over a month and his absence from the side seems to have disrupted his flow somewhat.

Now that Dembele is 30-years-old, it is likely that Pochettino could be open to the possibility of selling their midfield general and bringing in a younger talent to replace him.

The departure of Dembele will certainly disappoint the majority of Lilywhites supporters, but there are a number of talented players across Europe who would easily help them forget about their beloved Belgian.

With that being said, here are two midfielders who Pochettino should sign to strengthen Tottenham’s midfield.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Lazio’s emerging central-midfield talent could be just about the perfect man to replace Dembele and become the new general of Tottenham’s midfield.

At just 22-years-old, Milinkovic-Savic is now one of Europe’s most sought after prospects, and Spurs will undoubtedly face stiff competition for his signature.

The versatile midfielder who stands at 6ft 4in, is able to adopt either an attacking or defensive role in midfield, but like Dembele, he is most naturally suited to a box-to-box role at the heart of the midfield.

The Serbian international looks like one to watch for the future, and Spurs would be wise to bring him to North-London before Europe’s heavyweights come calling.

Ross Barkley

Everton’s Ross Barkley has yet to kick a ball for The Toffees this season due to a troublesome hamstring injury, but his impressive displays in previous seasons are enough to suggest he could still become a fantastic Premier League player.

Barkley is set to become a free agent in June, so Tottenham should be closely monitoring his contract situation and hope they are able to complete a shrewd piece of business after it expires this summer.

There is no doubting that Barkley is blessed with the ability and physical attributes to succeed at the highest level, even if his lack of consistency in his career so far suggests he will never fulfil his potential.

However, Pochettino’s record with young English players suggests he is the right man to help Barkley reach the pinnacle of his ability.