Dembele refuses to discuss new Spurs deal until after World Cup

Tottenham Hotspur is keen to lengthen Mousa Dembele's stint in north London but has been met with resistance from the player himself.

The midfield all-rounder wants to focus on the remainder of Spurs' season and Belgium's World Cup campaign before entering discussions, running the risk of the 30-year-old entering the final year of his contract next season.

Dembele initially agreed with Tottenham earlier in the season that talks over a new deal would be put on hold while he tried to shake off a troublesome ankle injury. Now, he's simply prioritising his day job and international duties.

"If we talk about a new contract in the middle of the season, it will cost energy. Imagine that a player feels not appreciated after a disappointing proposal, it can disrupt his game," Dembele told Belgian paper La Derniere Heure, with translation from The Telegraph's Matt Law.

"At this moment, I am very happy at Tottenham. I do not lie when I say that I do not think about a big transfer. I want to play a World Cup and afterwards we will see.

"Really, I'm not aware of the interest of other clubs. And, besides, I told my agent to wait for the summer to tell me about any offers. For now, I'm only focussing on Tottenham. Maybe this is my last season. Or maybe I'll sign a new deal. We'll see."

The delay in contract talks has offered hope to Juventus of capturing the cultured and technically gifted Dembele, according to Goal's Chris Burton.

Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is apparently determined to keep Dembele, but further reluctance from the player could result in reduced first-team minutes. Kyle Walker's senior involvement was cut last season when he wouldn't sign fresh terms amid interest from Manchester City, and Toby Alderweireld hasn't imposed himself on the starting XI since battling a hamstring injury - perhaps due to his negotiations over new paperwork continuing to stutter. Alderweireld may have his head turned by reported interest from Barcelona, Manchester United, and Paris Saint-Germain.