Amid contract concerns with Mousa Dembele, Tottenham have been linked with making a move for two top targets in Andre Gomes or Bryan Cristante.
There’s no denying that the Belgian international remains a key piece in Mauricio Pochettino’s plans, as evidenced by the fact that he’s made 36 appearances in all competitions so far this season.
However, with his current contract set to expire next summer, The Mirror have seemingly raised doubts over his future in north London which could leave Spurs with a real hole to fill in their midfield.
Dembele has struggled with injuries throughout his stint with the club, but his physicality, athleticism, defensive qualities and overall influence in midfield have made him a fundamental figure for Tottenham.
With the claim that he could be set to move on this summer, that has led Spurs to reportedly consider a move for either Barcelona misfit Gomes or Atalanta youngster Cristante.
It simply hasn’t gone to plan for the former since his move to the Nou Camp in 2016, as he has struggled to prove his worth and establish himself as a permanent fixture in the starting line-up. He’s certainly a talented player, but perhaps needs a fresh environment to get the best out of him again.
In contrast, Cristante has gone from strength to strength at Atalanta having failed to make the cut at AC Milan previously, as he has continued to develop and improve his game and has 11 goals and two assists in 41 outings to show for it.
In an ideal world, Tottenham will surely look to eventually come to an agreement with Dembele to extend his stay with them.
If that doesn’t materialise, either Gomes or Cristante could come in to replace him, with both fitting the mould of being technically gifted and youthful players with plenty of room for improvement which would seemingly suit Pochettino perfectly given his work with the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli in recent years.