Chinese Super League outfit Beijing Guoan are closing in on Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele in a deal worth £11m, claims the London Evening Standard.
Dembele has entered the final six months of his existing Tottenham contract and will not be renewing with Mauricio Pochettino’s side, as the Belgian seeks one last big pay day in his career.
The 31-year-old is back in full training with Tottenham after two months out with a serious ankle injury but has likely already played his final game for the club as a January exit nears.
Dembele has arguably been one of the best midfielders in the Premier League over the last five years but injuries have robbed the Belgium international of his best form in recent seasons.
Pochettino has already confessed he could have transformed Dembele into one of the best midfielders in the world had the two crossed paths earlier on but now the midfielder’s nine-year stint in England is coming to an end.
Dembele was heavily linked with a lucrative move to China last summer but Beijing Guoan are now on the right track to signing the powerful central midfielder, in a deal that will substantially increase his current £80,000-a-week wages.
Guoan are managed by former Bayer Leverkusen manager Roger Schmidt and already have former La Liga duo Cedric Bakambu and Jonathan Viera, as well as Brazil international Renato Augusto on their books.
Schmidt’s side finished fourth in the Chinese Super League last season and were the third highest WhoScored rated team (6.83) in the division.
Of players the 121 players to have attempted at least 75 dribbles in the Premier League since August 2016, Dembele has the best success rate (84.5%).
