Jamie Redknapp has been left baffled by Tottenham’s decision to offload “unbelievable” Mousa Dembele in the January window.
The Belgium international was sold to Chinese club Guangzhou R&F last week after being sidelined since November with an ankle problem.
But high-profile pundit Redknapp claims Spurs made a big mistake by cashing in on the 31-year-old at the midway point of the season as they try to deal with a mounting casualty list.
“In a way, I have no sympathy for Spurs because you’ve just sold one of the best midfield players in the league. When you talk to the Tottenham players about Mousa Dembele, everybody says he is unbelievable,” Redknapp told Sky Sports on Sunday.
“He hasn’t played as many games as you’d like but now, how much could you do with him? Why have you left yourselves so short? If Tottenham were out of the Champions League and out of the FA Cup, I might get it but you cannot make me understand that Dembele move. Financially, it might be good, but not for the team.
“I just think it [selling Dembele] is a big mistake because you’ve got such a good player. He might not be able to play two games a week but you’re going to need him on Thursday [against Chelsea].”
OPINION
Redknapp makes a fair point by saying Spurs have offloaded Dembele at the precise time when they are so short of midfield options they fielded three centre-backs against Fulham on Sunday and Harry Winks was their only recognised central midfielder. Playmaker Christian Eriksen dropped deep to operate just in front of Winks, but it was very much a sticking-plaster solution. The word is that Dembele has been sold for £11million, reasonable business for a player who turns 32 in July and looked a shadow of his former self before suffering his latest ankle injury in November. That said, as pointed out previously by this columnist, Spurs should not have cashed in on Dembele unless they fully intended to sign a replacement by the 31 January cut-off. There must be considerable doubt as to whether that is the case, which means, once again, the Spurs board have taken the money and made a dash for it.