Many of Tottenham’s squad members have been around the club for a long time. Mauricio Pochettino has put a plan in place, and it’s now paying dividends.
Players that a few years ago weren’t quite at the right level are now thriving, with the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Erik Lamela and Son Heung-min, among many others, all crucial members of Pochettino’s squad.
However, whilst time can be a good thing for young players, for older players, that’s not always the case. Some of Pochettino’s original regulars are now beginning to think about moving on, and that’s reportedly the case for Mousa Dembele.
According to Calcio Mercato, Mousa Dembele is on course for a Tottenham exit, having decided not to renew his contract at the club. His contract, of course, expires at the end of the season, and so whilst Spurs likely would have been open to the idea of renewing it, this effectively makes their decision for them.
Whilst Pochettino will undeniably view it as a blow, the reality is, it’s probably time for the Belgian to move on.
After all, there’s no doubting that the Belgian’s game has seen a reduction with regards to its quality over the last year or two. In his heyday, he was an unstoppable midfielder, possessing the perfect balance of stature and technical ability. Able to control midfields, defend capably and offer a real threat offensively, he was at the heart of the Tottenham squad for a long time. However, that’s no longer the case. He’s been far more prone to losing the ball, he’s no longer able to keep up with Europe’s best midfielders, and his offensive flair is no longer what it used to be. He’s still a useful asset, but as Tottenham’s main man in midfield? That’s perhaps no longer where he deserves to be, and so it would be a shame for him to stay and damage his legacy.
Not to mention, Dembele has had more than a few injury problems as of late. In fact, he’s actually out injured as we speak. Midfielders need to be consistently available and fit, and at present, he’s just not.
From Tottenham’s perspective, too, his departure would allow Pochettino to upgrade on the Belgian. Money is always tight in north London, and so Daniel Levy isn’t going to be tempted to bring in a replacement if a perfectly capable Dembele is in the side. His departure, though, would make room in the budget for another addition, and Spurs would be wise to find one.
Not to mention, his exit would also afford opportunities to the other players that are currently at the club. Young players like Harry Winks and, particularly, Luke Amos could benefit from the departure of Dembele next season, and making use of the academy at Tottenham has worked well for Pochettino so far since he moved to the club. Maybe it’s just time to move to a newer model.
Dembele has had a remarkable career at Tottenham, but it’s time for it to come to an end.
Thoughts?
