Nabil Bentaleb has officially signed for Schalke on a season-long loan, with the opportunity to make the deal permanent next summer for £17m.
The Algerian will now team up with his former Spurs colleague Benjamin Stambouli, who also looks likely to sign for Schalke. Still only 21-years old, Bentaleb made 66 appearances for Tottenham but fell out of favour with Mauricio Pochettino last season, after a protracted contract saga.
Though Bentaleb eventually put pen to paper, he’s left the club just a year later. Fans are split as to whether it’s the right decision or not. Here’s how they reacted on Twitter.
CONFIRMED: Nabil Bentaleb has joined Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04 on loan until the end of the 2016-17 season. pic.twitter.com/pMToB2KQ65
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 25, 2016
Delighted to have signed for @s04 new chapter new beginnings
— Nabil Bentaleb (@nabilbentaleb42) August 25, 2016
Such a shame about Bentaleb. Loved him in his breakthrough season and expected so much of him. Wish him well. #COYS
— Rachel Martin (@RachelVMartin) August 25, 2016
Losing Bentaleb is such a huge mistake. #THFC
— Harry Woods (@WoodsyF1) August 25, 2016
Bentaleb's days were numbered when he went public on last contract negotiation & rise in CM of Dier/Alli, catalyst for his departure.#THFC
— Ricky Sacks (@RickSpur) August 25, 2016
Really stupid to sell Bentaleb, hope he does really well, hopefully the money is reinvested now. Coys
— Tottenham Talk (@tottenhamtalk1) August 25, 2016
Question God.
Question global-warming.
But don't question Pochettino's wisdom on discipline over talent #Bentaleb #COYS— Hotspur Hacker (@HotspurHacker) August 25, 2016
It's a shame about Bentaleb. Undoubtedly more naturally talented than Mason & Carroll. There's a very good player in there. Wish him well.
— Stuart BryanTHFC (@StuBryanTHFC) August 25, 2016
In fairness, £30m for Yedlin, Pritchard & Bentaleb is great business. Covers Wanyama & Janssen costs with money to spare #COYS
— HotspurGraphics (@HotspurGraphics) August 24, 2016
Bentaleb will become a top player, its a shame he didnt want to stay and fight for a place.
— #Merky (@HamidTHFC) August 25, 2016
£25m for Bentaleb & Pritchard.
They played just 173 minutes in PL for #THFC last season. #Levyed
— AtourT ن (@AT_Spurs) August 25, 2016
Some of the the twitter messages suggests to me that there are an awful lot of dunces who follow Spurs. Since when did loan translate as sold? He may well do an excellent job at Schalke 04 and they put an offer in to buy him at the end of the season but he is still registered as a Spurs player.
The boy has talent, we all know that but apparently he has a bad attitude. Spurs took a chance with him in the first place because he was considered too much of a risk in his home country (France) and team after team passed on him, simply because of his bad attitude, not his ability to play. The same applied to Abel Taabrabt a few years ago. A lot of talent but very little between the ears. An obvious question some of you need to ask yourselves is this, who’s place would Nabil take in the current Spurs eleven? Which player out of the following 5 players would you omit in favour of Bentaleb as first choice: Dembele, Dier, Alli, Wanyama, Eriksen? The boy needs to play football but in my opinion, not in preference to any of the 5 players mentioned. To that end, he had to seek pastures new. If he could take being part of the rotation system, he would have stayed and fought to be included. Victor will have to fight when Mousa is allowed back as will Eric I suspect and there are other youngsters in the pack waiting their turn. I really dont think that Nabil had the stomach for the fight. I hope he does well in Germany and dont just fade away when he has to fight for his place as so many have done in the past.
Good comments above Ray, agree 100%
Ray, valid points you’ve made. But Mousa isn’t going to go on forever (he’s 30 next June) and I see Bentaleb as the closest player we have to Mousa.
A year out on loan, get himself playing regularly will do him a world of good. The kid is just 21 I think many a folk forget that.
I hope Poch gives him another chance because this kid can become a top class Centre Midfielder in the Dembele mould.