Born: Antwerp, Belgium, 16 July 1987
Position: Midfielder/centre forward
International caps: 82
International goals: 5
Signed: 18 August 2010 from AZ Alkmaar (£5m)
Fulham debut: Fulham 2-2 Manchester United, 22 August 2010
Fulham appearances: 75
Fulham goals: 7
Sold: 29 August 2012 to Tottenham Hotspur (£15m).
Mousa Dembele was initially signed as a centre forward and, endured a frustrating first season where he struggled to find the finishing touch in English football. He scored on his first start, against Port Vale in the League Cup, but he only managed five goals in the entirety of the 2010-11 season – although one was a wondergoal in the FA Cup thrashing of Tottenham. Dembele’s career changed when Martin Jol converted him into a deep-lying central midfielder, with his physical attributes making him impossible to shake off the ball, and the Belgian’s dribbling and vision ideally suited to a deeper role. Dembele forged a fine partnership with Mahamadou Diarra in a Fulham line-up that also featured Clint Dempsey and it took Spurs activating his £15m release clause to end his relationship with the Craven Cottage faithful to a close in August 2012.
