Mousa Dembele Injury: Updates on Tottenham Star's Ankle, Likely Return Date

Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele faces a spell on the sidelines after he had to be helped off the training field while on international duty with Belgium.

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Moussa Dembélé quitte l'entrainement des #DiablesRouges, blessé à la cheville #CroBelpic.twitter.com/gjjPCE61Vo

— lalibre.be (@lalibrebe) October 9, 2013"

The versatile midfielder, who has represented Spurs on nine occasions this season, looks to have succumbed to further fitness problems after limping out of a practice session in the run-up to this week's crucial World Cup qualifiers.

John Drayton of the Daily Mail Online has the details: "Mousa Dembele looked in some discomfort as he hobbled out of Belgium training with his ankle strapped before his country's World Cup qualifiers against against Croatia and Wales."

Both Andre Villas-Boas and Marc Wilmots will be looking on in fear of losing a player who has become vital to club and country. Dembele's combination of pace and strength is complemented by decent vision and natural tackling ability, making him a complete midfielder.

He has settled alongside Paulinho in the Spurs midfield that continues to evolve. With Etienne Capoue already sidelined through injury, it is pivotal the 26-year-old recovers soon, especially as Spurs face a busy schedule of seven games in 21 days after the international break, per WhoScored.

This hectic run spans the Premier League, the Europa League and the Capital One Cup. Should Villas-Boas be forced into making a chance, the Spurs faithful can expect replacement duties to be carried out between Sandro and Lewis Holtby.

Neither of the aforementioned pair have started a game this season and will need to quickly find their form if Dembele's injury is ruled to be serious.

This potential realisation could round off a terrible week for the North London club, which started with local rivals West Ham escaping White Hart Lane with a stunning 3-0 win.