Tottenham Transfer News: Mousa Dembele Reportedly Ready to Let Contract Expire

Mousa Dembele is ready to let his contract with Tottenham Hotspur expire next summer. The Belgium international midfielder has no offer of an extension, nor has he discussed terms with another club, per CalcioMercato, (h/t Andrew Gibney of Football Whispers for Sky Sports).

With no agreement in place between player and club, Spurs are facing the prospect of losing one of their most important players for nothing.

Dembele's future is set to lie away from north London, according to Warren Haughton of The Sun. He believes the 31-year-old may favour a move to the Chinese Super League.

Haughton also wrote a "move to the sunnier climates of the Middle East is high on the agenda."

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The Sun's Dan King named Beijing Sinobo Guoan as being particularly keen on Dembele in early September.

Losing Dembele, particularly without recouping a fee, would be a bitter blow for Tottenham. He has developed into a key member of manager Mauricio Pochettino's squad.

Dembele has given Spurs a true deep-lying playmaker. His combination of brawn, vision and technique can help Tottenham win the midfield battle in any game.

Pochettino doesn't have another midfielder with this many attributes. Christian Eriksen is a creative maestro but is never likely to break up play, while Eric Dier is a classic destroyer who doesn't offer much going forward.

Despite Dembele's obvious value, there have been questions about his ongoing effectiveness:

Perhaps Spurs are inclined to let him see out his contract because of Harry Winks' development. The 22-year-old schemer has caught the eye in some big matches:

Winks has considerable potential, but Spurs would still miss Dembele's experience and power in the middle of the park. He's worth keeping around on a short-term deal, if only in the interests of squad depth.

If there have been no talks with other clubs, Spurs should move quickly to secure Dembele for at least another season.