The experienced midfielder’s left Tottenham Hotspur for China today.
Mousa Dembele competed his £9 million switch (London Evening Standard) from Tottenham to Chinese Super League outfit Guangzhou R&F today, and Mauricio Pochettino has lost a seriously good footballer in the process.
The Belgium international joined Spurs from Fulham in the summer of 2012, for a round £15 million, and he went on to make 249 appearances in all competitions for the north London outfit.
His meagre tally of just 10 goals and 12 assists for Tottenham doesn’t do him justice, and he was far more influential for his team than those stats suggest.
Dembele was blessed with raw pace and power, two attributes that were refined under the acute guidance of Pochettino, and it will be incredibly hard for the Argentine to replace the 31-year-old, especially with just the £9 million that Spurs received for his services.
The midfielder’s contract with Tottenham was set to expire in the summer, so they would have lost him for nothing at the end of this season, but it could be argued that they would have been better off keeping him for the next five months, passing up on a fee now.
Whenever Dembele played for Spurs, they were an entirely different side, and they will undoubtedly miss his drive from midfield, as well as his unique ability to receive the ball in tight areas with aplomb.
Tottenham are still well in with a chance of winning all three cup competitions, and they cannot yet be ruled out of the race for the Premier League title, with just nine points separating them and league leaders Liverpool.
They will have to go into battle without one of their on-field generals now, however, and all for the price of just £9 million.
It could be a decision that Pochettino and Daniel Levy live to regret.
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