Juventus Reportedly Eye Mousa Dembele as Emre Can Alternative in Latest Rumours

Juventus would reportedly consider a summer move for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele should they miss out on Liverpool's Emre Can. 

The Italian champions have long been linked with a move for Can, whose Liverpool contract is set to run out at the end of the season.

According to Calciomercato.com, in case the Germany international doesn't join, Juve are eyeing Dembele as well. It's reported the Belgium international is "top of the list" of possible alternatives to the Liverpool player.

As Calciomercato.com noted, Dembele recently told La Derniere Heure that any contract talks with Tottenham have been put on hold until after the summer's FIFA World Cup; the 30-year-old's deal at Spurs is set to expire in 2019.

"At the start of the season, I have had injury problems, and I have always stated that I'll wait until the end of the campaign before evaluating my future," Dembele said. "Speaking of a contract renewal halfway through the season would have been pointless."

Dembele is one of the key men in this Tottenham side, although he's received special acclaim for some of his performances  this season, one of which came in the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 first leg with Juventus.

With Spurs 2-0 down early on in Turin, Dembele took control of the match and was vital in his side's recovery. As we can see here, it was quite the display from the former Fulham man:

What he lacks in goals and assists—he hasn't registered any in the Premier League this season—he makes up for by stamping his authority on matches. Dembele is a powerhouse at the heart of his side, capable of shrugging off challenges and bursting through gaps.

Technically, he's outstanding too, meaning Dembele is an ideal linchpin in Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham team. As Kristof Terreur of Het Laatste Nieuws noted, the Spurs coach has been full or praise for the player throughout his time at the club:

While it would be a surprise if Can didn't end up at Juventus come 2018-19, it's not a shock to see the Italian champions linked with someone like Dembele.

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The midfielder may have admitted contract talks are on hold, but there doesn't appear any major urgency on his part to move away from Spurs.

Juve would be a tempting prospect, though, as they are serial victors domestically and have come close to winning the Champions League in recent years. Having witnessed firsthand what Dembele can do, any deal would surely excite the Bianconeri faithful.