Tottenham Hotspur should consider making a move for Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos if the club lose Mousa Dembele this summer.

What's the word?

As it stands, Dembele remains a Spurs player, but if the days continue to pass without him signing a new contract, it grows more and more likely that the Belgian will leave.

The 30-year-old had a slow start to the season due to fitness issues, but once he found his stride, the midfielder was a crucial part of Mauricio Pochettino’s team.

Dembele ticks all the boxes for a player in his position, which will make it tough for the North London outfit to find a direct replacement, but there are options out there.

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Is Ceballos the right fit?

The Spaniard, who has earned 24 caps for the Spain Under-21 side, has the talent to thrive in a top team.

The problem that the 21-year-old has faced is that he is fighting for a place in a team full of Galacticos in Madrid, which is why he was restricted to just 12 La Liga appearances last season.

Generally, Ceballos is positioned in the centre of the park, but he can also play slightly further forward in an attacking midfield role.

For a player to replace Dembele, they need to possess all-round ability of defensive attributes as well as forward thinking.

Ceballos is strong on the ball and is comfortable keeping hold of possession while fending off his markers, and he always seems to try to get the ball forward when possible.

The only downside is that the midfielder has not been given the opportunity to showcase his talent on a regular basis at the top level, which presents a slight risk for Tottenham.