Nabil continues to light up the Bundesliga..

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He started slowly, but once fit again has now been giving some dominating/outstanding performances..Shalke fans think he's one of the best they've ever seen!

Tottenham-owned Nabil Bentaleb nominated for award - but will he ever play under Pochettino again?


Nabil Bentaleb has been nominated for the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year award.

Nabi Bentaleb may have little future at Tottenham Hotspur, but his loan spell with Schalke has been fruitful – and he's now up for an award.

Bentaleb, 22, joined Spurs from Dunkerque back in 2012, and by the end of 2013, he was already being named in the Tottenham first team by then-manager Tim Sherwood.

The Algerian was a key player under Mauricio Pochettino during the 2014-15 campaign, making 35 appearances in all competitions to earn a new and improved contract with the club – but it's been downhill for Bentaleb ever since.

Bentaleb made just 11 appearances last season, and was made surplus to requirements by manager Pochettino, with Spurs eventually agreeing a deal to send him on loan to Schalke for the season, with a view to a permanent move.

With midfielders Victor Wanyama, Mousa Dembele and even Harry Winks impressing this season, few Spurs fans have been keeping close tabs on Bentaleb's performances, but he's enjoyed a strong season in Germany.

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Bentaleb has hit four goals and two assists in the league this season, playing 18 of Schalke's 19 games, enjoying a fine season personally, even if the club have underwhelmed this term.

Now, Bentaleb's performances have been recognised, as he is one of three nominees for the Bundesliga rookie of the year award, along with Borussia Dortmund winger Ousmane Dembele and RB Leipzig midfield maestro Naby Keita.

That's strong competition for Bentaleb to see off, but his nomination shows just what an impressive campaign he is having away from White Hart Lane – yet, no matter whether he wins the award or not, he looks unlikely to feature under Pochettino again having been completely cast aside by the Spurs boss.

Rather than save his Tottenham career like Erik Lamela has under Pochettino, Bentaleb is more likely to head the same way as Tom Carroll or Andros Townsend, in leaving Spurs permanently to get first-team football having struggled for playing time under Pochettino; a manager who seems to stick to a decision, which in this case is leaving Bentaleb out of the Tottenham side.

 
I think he ranks amongst the worst players I have seen in a Spurs shirt, and let's face it there have been many. He is just like Stephen Clemance of old. Passes the ball every way but forward, and treats it like a hot potato. The only safe place to be when he takes a shot is in front of the goal
 
If he was not such a prick he would still be here
 
He will never play for us again. Cross the Poch, game over.

He is miles behind what we have now anyway.
 
he won't play for Spurs again, would he even want to ??... I can see him at a bigger club in 1-2yrs time.

Bayern or Dortmund bound.... maybe even Spanish Big3
 
he's one of thebnear youngsters we've had come through, after Kane anyway. It's a shame he got his injury when he did because he'd be a sure starter for us right now in my opinion.

If we did actually bring him back, he's the closest our side has to Dembele in the way he wins, holds the ball and moves it on, but perhaps with a couple more goals in him.

Never mind, the more he plays well, the more his price will rise back to where itbwas a couple of years ago when Juve were offering silly money for him
 
Worth us having a long hard think before we let Bentaleb go. We remember him as a free-pick kid that was thrown in early and had to protect a light weight Mason in the middle of the park. We never saw him operate ahead of Dier or Wanyama and work in more advanced areas as a more mature and balanced player and person. Dembele will be in his thirties next season and has a very consistent track record of being injured for periods of every season.

Personally, I don't see Bentaleb wanting to stay there with no European football or want to come back here either but that's conjecture from paper talk I've read. We'll find out.
 
All I know is that the Schalke faithful think that he one the most exciting prospects they've ever had; that's according to their general manager...can't say I would ever call him exciting, but then the season before last I did say he needed to learn some composure and add goals to his game and be more positive going forward and according to them that's just what he's doing.

No chance of him coming back, supposedly he loves it out there and has no intention of returning.
 
there are quite a few of these types of player who are supremely talented yet under-achieve with the wrong coach and/or formation.. a latter-day Warren Beatty for me..

always comes good in the end..
 
Interesting that statement: Schalke fans think he's one of the best they've ever seen!
They sold Sane to city. A real talent.

But good, the better he does the more money we can demand (I assume)
 
sjm1985 - 9/2/2017 16:37

Interesting that statement: Schalke fans think he's one of the best they've ever seen!
They sold Sane to city. A real talent.

But good, the better he does the more money we can demand (I assume)
Click to expand...

Normally, we agree and set the fee the same time we agree the loan fee - our windful might come when he's sold on again, as we're bound to have some sell-on rights., we normally do for the first post sale transfer after we've sold.
 
Always rated Bentaleb. He has everything to become a to class midfielder. He has aggression, skill and physical presence. He just lost his way a bit and needed a bit of a change, it happens.

Reminds me of KPB who ended up playing pretty well for AC Milan after we didn't take him too seriously at Spurs.

Said it a few years ago, this guy will be transferred for a big amount at some point in his career. Good luck to him but Spurs have moved on and so, it seems, has he
 
Bentaleb is doing well in a team that has 22 points from 19 games and are 12th in an 18 team league. I have a feeling that he won't want to join them even if Spurs and Schalke agree the transfer. I'm sure at some stage he'll be called a trouble maker an ungrateful so and so just for having higher aspirations !!!
 
Thx ex for the info.

Well Schalke does belong to the financial stronger teams in Germany. They are bad at the moment but are usually a regular Champions League side. So they arent a real downgrade from us.
 
he seems to be playing as Ali does for Spurs: as a no.10, which explains his goals, assists stats... if he has 2yrs or less on his Spurs contract he'd be a fool to not run it down
 
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