Mousa Dembele won’t play for Belgium this week, according to Roberto Martinez.
Belgium manager Roberto Martinez
Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has told Het Laaste Nieuws that Mousa Dembele will miss games against Bosnia and Gibraltar through injury.
Dembele, 29, was a key player for Tottenham last season as they looked to win the Premier League title, but has endured a frustrating start to the new season.
Belgium’s Mousa Dembele
Having been suspended for the first four games of the Premier League season, Dembele was given 45 minutes in the Champions League game with Monaco before featuring against Sunderland in the Premier League – but he went off injured after 74 minutes and hasn’t returned since.
Even though he missed Sunday’s 2-0 win over Manchester City, Dembele was named in the Belgium squad to face Bosnia and Malta over the next week.
Tottenham’s Mousa Dembele in action with Sunderland’s Didier Ndong
A key player for Belgium, Dembele would have been vying with the likes of Axel Witsel and Steven Defour for a place in Roberto Martinez’s midfield for their two upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Martinez has though offered an update on Dembele’s fitness – and it isn’t good for Belgium or the player ahead of games on Friday and Monday.
Belgium boss Roberto Martinez
The Spaniard, formerly of Everton, told Belgian newspaper Het Laaste Nieuws that Dembele won’t recover from an ankle injury in time to play, and will miss both games.
“Mousa will not recover in time,” said Martinez. “He will miss the two games,” he added in a disappointing update for club and country.
Tottenham will hope that Dembele can fully heal over the international break, with a game away at West Bromwich Albion coming up after the international break.
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