Mousa Dembele Linked With CSL Side Beijing Guoan as Tottenham Consider Selling Contract Rebel

Tottenham's Mousa Dembele is the latest player to be linked with a big-money move to the Chinese Super League, with Beijing Guoan interested in bringing the Spurs midfielder to the Far East.

The capital city club are ready to offer Dembele £150,000 a week to join Guoan, who are among the most ambitious clubs in China and have extensive resources with which to pursue their targets.

The Sun reports that Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is considering moving Dembele on this summer as part of a squad rebuild which could also see fellow contract rebel and Belgian teammate Toby Alderweireld leave the club.

Pochettino has previously spoken glowingly about Dembele, calling him "a genius of football" and comparing him to Diego Maradona and Ronaldinho.

However, Dembele only has one year left on his contract and is unlikely to sign another. Tottenham may therefore look to offload the Belgian so that they don't lose him on a free next summer.

There are also concerns about Dembele's fitness going forwards. He had ankle surgery last year and has complained of another ankle problem at the end of this season. 

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Tottenham may be tempted to sell before these problems worsen, and Dembele may be tempted by the slower, less aggressive pace of the CSL.

Dembele has made over 230 appearances in six seasons for Tottenham since joining from London rivals Fulham in 2012.

There are now four Chinese transfers in the top 50 most expensive deals of all time. Beijing Guoan's February signing of Cedric Bakambu from Villarreal for £65.4m is the most valuable of these.

Dembele would be joining Belgian teammates Axel Witsel and Yannick Carasco in China if he decided to make the move. Witsel plays for Tianjin Quanjin while Carrasco is at Dalian Yifang.