Tottenham Hotspur have tied midfielder Nabil Bentaleb down to a new contract, amid reported transfer interest from Liverpool and Arsenal.
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The Algeria midfielder has emerged as one of the stars of White Hart Lane over the last 18 months. The 20-year-old made his breakthrough under Tim Sherwood, but truly came into his own under Mauricio Pochettino last season.
In the midfield alongside Ryan Mason, the North African managed 26 appearances—of which 25 were starts—and contributed two assists.
He impressed with his tenacity, his delivery and his dynamism, and Spurs fans will be delighted at having secured the immediate future of one of the best young midfielders in the game.
Bentaleb also made his Algeria debut in 2014, featuring in the World Cup before also representing Les Fennecs at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, as they reached the quarter-finals.
The former Mouscron and LOSC Lille midfielder’s fine performances have prompted interest from some of Spurs’ Premier League rivals.
The Metro have reported that Liverpool are keen on the Algeria star, while the Daily Star understood that Arsenal were considering making a move for the midfielder in June.
The Reds may have considered Bentaleb as a potential long-term replacement for Steven Gerrard, a similarly well-rounded midfielder who departed at the end of the 2014-15 campaign. The Gunners may have seen Bentelab as the kind of player who could replace Jack Wilshere, should the England international complete his rumoured move to Manchester City [Daily Mail].
However, the midfielder’s decision to sign on at Spurs until 2020 [The Guardian] makes it very unlikely that he will depart over the coming months.