Roberto Martinez is reportedly eyeing a January move for the midfielder.
According to the Daily Mirror, Everton are considering a January bid for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele.
Roberto Martinez’s side are said to have made an enquiry about the Belgian during the summer and could now make a formal bid when the transfer window next re-opens.
Dembele is said to want a first-team place at Spurs but his future will be the subject of speculation should the Toffees come in with a bid.
The question is: will he fit the bill at Everton – and should Tottenham sell?
| Team | Pos | Accurate Passes / app | Chances Created / app | Successful Final-Third Passes / app | Touches / app | Apps | Mins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Eriksen | Spurs | MF | 52.25 | 2.25 | 20.75 | 81.25 | 4 | 325 |
| Leighton Baines | Everton | DF | 48.00 | 2.00 | 18.25 | 91.50 | 4 | 360 |
| Gareth Barry | Everton | MF | 66.75 | 0.25 | 15.00 | 87.00 | 4 | 360 |
| Mousa Dembélé | Spurs | MF | 40.67 | 0.33 | 14.00 | 54.33 | 3 | 152 |
| Erik Lamela | Spurs | MF | 36.75 | 1.50 | 13.75 | 71.75 | 4 | 331 |
As Opta stats show, Everton could certainly do with the 27-year-old going forward, for starters. Of any Spurs player, Dembele has averaged the second-highest tally of successful final-third passes per game so far this Premier League season.
That’s only one a game behind Gareth Barry, perhaps making him an ideal midfield partner for him.
Dembele does create less chances per game than many of his team-mates, though, but that could be down to his deeper position – just like Barry. He has also played far less minutes than some of the other midfielders, so his stats in the final third are impressive, while other areas may be higher if he had played more.
| Team | Pos | Tackles Won / app | Interceptions Won / app | Dribbles Won / app | Apps | Mins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Stambouli | Spurs | MF | 4.00 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 |
| Eric Dier | Spurs | DF | 3.75 | 0.75 | 1.75 | 4 | 360 |
| Mousa Dembélé | Spurs | MF | 2.67 | 0.67 | 2.00 | 3 | 152 |
| Leighton Baines | Everton | DF | 2.25 | 1.25 | 1.25 | 4 | 360 |
| Christian Eriksen | Spurs | MF | 2.00 | 1.50 | 1.75 | 4 | 325 |
More impressive is Dembele’s tackling, which Everton could really do with. So far this term, the Belgian has averaged more tackles per appearance (even considering his relative lack of minutes) than any Everton player and has been beaten in that department by just two Spurs men.
His average number of interceptions per game is lower but his two dribbles won per game is the joint-second highest tally of any Tottenham or Toffees player.
The 27-year-old’s stats match up, then, meaning Martinez could certainly use him alongside Barry or even as a stand-in for him if Everton manage to progress further into the Europa League.
Should Spurs sell him? The stats say no. The Mirror, however, suggest a price tag of over £15 million is likely. If Everton are willing to pay that much, there could be an argument in selling…
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
