Premier League star Mousa Dembele to join Guangzhou R&F after medical
Updated 19:31, 17-Jan-2019
Hu Zhicheng
["china","europe"]
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele has flown to Hong Kong for a medical ahead of a move to Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F, according to multiple British media outlets.
The 31-year-old Belgium international, who has made 249 appearances for Spurs since joining from Fulham in 2012, is out of contract in the summer and featured just 13 times this season following a string of persistent injuries.
It is understood that Beijing Guoan thought that Dembele was about to sign for them in an 11.6m U.S. dollars deal after Spurs accepted their offer last week. 
However, Guangzhou R&F hijacked their move for Dembele and, to Guoan's fury, Dembele was on his way to the Yuexiushan Stadium, albeit for a more lucrative wage packet and a higher transfer fee of 14.1m U.S. dollars.
Mousa Dembele (C) has struggled with injuries in recent seasons and has not played since suffering an ankle injury in November 2018. /VCG Photo

Mousa Dembele (C) has struggled with injuries in recent seasons and has not played since suffering an ankle injury in November 2018. /VCG Photo

Should the deal go through, it will represent a huge blow for Guoan and their manager Roger Schmidt, who had grown increasingly anxious about their fruitless search for a quality holding midfielder.
This is not the first time Guoan's attempts to sign a foreign star have been scuppered by rival Chinese clubs.  Last January, Guangzhou Evergrande nearly gazumped Guoan for the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after the former Borussia Dortmund striker looked set to team up with the capital club in a 45.9m U.S. dollars deal.
But in a surprising twist, Aubameyang resisted the temptation to move to the Far East in the winter transfer window and finally chose to join Arsenal instead.