Peter Henry
Mousa Dembele has paid tribute to Spurs after sealing a lucrative move to the Chinese Super League.
The 31-year-old midfielder’s contract with Spurs was due to run out at the end of the season, and the North London club today announced that they had agreed an £11 million deal for the player to move to Guangzhou R&F.
Dembele moved to the Premier League in 2010 when he joined Fulham from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar. The Belgian international originally played as a winger after arriving in England, but he really began to thrive after being converted in to a central midfielder and earned a move to Spurs in 2012.
After more than six years and 180 Premier League appearances with Spurs Dembele is heading off to the Far East, but he is clearly leaving on good terms and has paid tribute to the club and their fans.
“[The journey has been] very special,” Dembele told Spurs TV.
“The club always treated me fairly. I’ve always had a good experience here. I go away with an unbelievable feeling and with a certain love for the club.
“Because you have a long period at a club, you have a lot of love for the club. Sometimes you separate in a bad way and I don’t feel that way.
“Even the reaction I’ve had from the supporters, everyone is very positive with me. They’ve wished me a lot of luck and happiness. The club is part of my family now, 100 per cent.”
"The Club is part of my family now."
🗣️ We caught up with @mousadembele for a nostalgic look back at his six-and-a-half year career at Spurs. 💙 pic.twitter.com/uCt7VIXE8V
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 17, 2019