The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is currently on loan at Schalke.
Earlier this season, Tottenham Hotspur loanee Nabil Bentaleb played his way into a superb run of form that had some Spurs fans questioning the wisdom of parting company with the Algeria international, albeit temporarily.
After an initially shaky start in the Bundesliga, he scored four goals and provided one assist in five league matches between 2 October and 6 November, suggesting he had hit top form in his new surroundings.
However, since then Bentaleb has struggled and he has not been directly involved in a goal for his last six league games prior to his departure for the Africa Cup of Nations.
For that reason the 22-year-old needs a good tournament this month to ensure he gets his campaign back on track and proves he has a long-term future either at Schalke – where he is expected to sign permanently in the summer – or back at Tottenham.
In truth it seems he has played his last match for the North London club. However it is worth remembering just how young he is and that based on evidence earlier this season he could ultimately grow into a highly effective all-round midfielder.
The AFCON is the perfect stage for him to shine, before he returns to Schalke looking to rediscover the form that had Tottenham fans worried at the back end of 2016.
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