Mousa Dembéle, ‘collective sigh’, universally agreed to be one of the most talented players to ever grace the Tottenham first eleven and arguably the most underrated midfielder in world football.
His transfer to Guangzhou R&F in the 2018/19 January window left an enormous hole in the Tottenham squad that is still to be filled. This summer, reports have come in thick and fast surrounding potential targets for multiple positions in the starting 11.
Described as both a tank and a ballerina (The Guardian), Mousa Dembéle has been a sorely missed member of the Tottenham camp, despite their success in 2018/19. With that in mind, we’ve looked at five potential replacements to attempt to recreate the magic of Moose.
Eljif Elmas
Last week, reports coming from Turkey hinted at a cash + Vincent Janssen deal for Fenerbache wonder kid Eljif Elmas (Sportswitness).
Elmas appeared 17 times for Fenerbache in the Turkish Super Lig this season, 12 of which as a substitute. Playing mainly as a defensive or attacking midfielder, Elmas scored 4 goals. While his numbers are not particularly mind-blowing at club level, he has been impressive playing for his country of North Macedonia. At the tender age of 19, Elmas already has 12 caps to his name. As well as this, his performances for Fenerbahce in the Europa League won him many admirers including AC Milan and both sides of North London.
Elmas has a pass completion rate of 85.5% in all competitions; this improves significantly when playing in Europe and for his national team. His defensive numbers are also solid considering his limited minutes, averaging more than 1 successful tackle a match. With limited first-team experience, Elmas would not be a player to immediately challenge for a place in the Tottenham starting eleven. However, like so many youngsters before him, Elmas would hopefully flourish under Pochettino.
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