Does Nabil Bentaleb have a future at Tottenham?

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With the addition of Victor Wanyama into Tottenham Hotspur’s midfield, a strong argument could be made that the Algerian Nabil Bentaleb is surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane. The midfielder, who first came to prominence during Tim Sherwood’s tenure as manager of Tottenham, looked overconfident and a risk at times last season.

His playing style is similar to that of Belgian powerhouse Moussa Dembele, in terms of flair and physicality, but the Belgian international is clearly much more of a finished product. His ball retention is sublime, whereas Bentaleb’s is often weak, losing the ball in vulnerable areas, and is less of a presence on the ball.

Dembele’s ability to beat a man is breathtaking; the risks he takes are calculated and so usually pay off in his favour, whilst much of Bentaleb’s play suggests that this is a level he could reach, Dembele and now Victor Wanyama both offer a finished article – so Bentaleb’s playing time may well be limited to cup games, especially considering Spurs’ qualification for the Champions League.

In an ideal world, a loan spell at another Premier League club would come calling for the Algerian. Bentaleb would benefit so much from constant playing time which he simply won’t get at Spurs – learning his trade at a mid-table side like Swansea would allow him to develop his technical skills, or a short loan to a club like West Brom would improve him physically.

Regrettably, it’s unlikely that a loan offer will come in for him, although interest in a permanent transfer will be slightly higher – Bentaleb counts as a home-grown player and definitely has potential. However, Spurs – and Daniel Levy – are unlikely to let one of their academy graduates leave cheaply, so clubs will have to meet a valuation of the player that perhaps doesn’t represent his true footballing ability, which they may be unwilling to do given the abundance of cheaper players elsewhere that can fulfil a similar purpose, with Leicester’s N’Golo Kante being a prime example of this.

While Spurs may have a difficult time finding a buyer for one of their youngsters, they can certainly afford to let him go. Dier, Wanyama, Dembele, as well as Dele Alli and Dominic Ball, a converted centre-back who played a centre-defensive midfield role at Rangers in his loan last year, are all able to play a similar role.

The first choice pairing is unlikely to change from last year, meaning Eric Dier and Moussa Dembele would be expected to start most games. However, given the latter’s suspension, and the injuries and suspensions that blight smaller squad’s seasons, reserve players will be necessary – so Wanyama can fit in ably for either of the two.

In the unfortunate circumstance that both are missing, Bentaleb is still unlikely to play if the others are fit. Dele Alli would probably play the more defensive role that he played for the first section of last season alongside new signing Wanyama. In these instances, it would take a very congested fixture list, meaning a lot of rotation, for Bentaleb to see first team action.

All this assumes that Pochettino doesn’t change from his 4-2-3-1 system that was used to such good effect last season; a formation that does not require two defensive midfielders would see Bentaleb’s playing time restricted further still.

In a way, it’s a mark of just how far Spurs have come that midfielders like Bentaleb and Ryan Mason, who both made a huge impact under Tim Sherwood and then in Pochettino’s first season in charge, may not have a role at the club in the foreseeable future. They were seen as perfect examples of how youth academies can be used properly, to develop player fit for the first team, unlike elsewhere in the league, like at Chelsea, where youngsters are shipped off to Vitesse Arnheim to never be seen again.

However, in the modern game, players who possess all the qualities required to be successful at the top level are needed to win trophies, and as Spurs adjust their ambitions higher, the likes of Bentaleb and Mason are unlikely to have futures at the club in the longer term unless drastic improvements come quickly.

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