On-loan international midfielder wants to create Tottenham connection with Stambouli

By Will Butcher

On-loan midfielder Nabil Bentaleb is ready to use his Tottenham connection with ex-Spurs star Benjamin Stambouli to help German giants Schalke thrive.

The Algeria international joined Schalke earlier this summer, before Stambouli joined him at the Veltins Arena on loan from Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Speaking to Schalke's official website, the 21-year-old said that he thinks their time together at White Hart Lane will prove beneficial ahead of the Bundesliga campaign.

"We have already played together at Tottenham," Bentaleb told Schalke's official website. "We know how each other works. The grounds are perhaps already there for something further down the line."

Stambouli, 26, was a first-team regular with PSG since signing for £6million last summer, making 40 appearances in all competitions.

However, new manager Unai Emery has bought Grzegorz Krychowiak for £28.5million from his old side Sevilla which has pushed the former France Under-21 international down the pecking order at the Parc des Princes.

Stambouli recognised that he was unlikely to feature and subsequently moved on loan to the German side, who are currently competing in the Europa League alongside the Bundesliga.

Football Insider revealed in July that manager Mauricio Pochettino was ready to sanction the sales of Bentaleb, Nacer Chadli, Clinton N’Jie, Alex Pritchard, Tom Carroll, Federico Fazio and Michael Vorm, and Bentaleb decided to move as quickly as possible.

Bentaleb had signed a five-year contract at White Hart Lane just last summer, but was considered surplus to requirements in north London this season after struggling with injury last term.

In other Tottenham news, the Spurs defence is one of the shortest in the division.