Tottenham transfer report: Schalke ‘close’ to signing out-of-favour Spurs midfielder Nabil Bentaleb

Schalke have made an offer for Tottenham outcast Nabil Bentaleb.

The young midfielder is surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane and manager Mauricio Pochettino has made no secret of the fact that Bentaleb is not part of his plans.

However it has been suggested that Spurs want to sell him and are not interested in sending him out on loan, which has so far scuppered any move away.

Now L'Equipe has claimed that Schalke are close to landing the Algerian after approaching Tottenham about a loan with an obligatory purchase option at the end of it.

But the permanent deal, which would be worth around £17m, would only come into effect should Bentaleb play a certain number of games for the Bundesliga club.

The 21-year-old has made 46 Premier League appearances for Spurs since his debut in December 2013 but has featured only sporadically under Pochettino.

Bentaleb, who signed a five-year deal in July last year, started two times in the league last term the most recent of which came nearly 12 months ago.