Benjamin Stambouli to Paris Saint-Germain: Tottenham midfielder flies out to New York in order to join PSG

Spurs’ forgotten man ready to make surprise move to French champions after a year of few opportunities at White Hart Lane

Tottenham’s forgotten midfielder Benjamin Stambouli appears on the verge of a £6m return to France after Le Parisien reported that he had flown out to New York for a medical with Paris Saint-Germain.

Stambouli has been at White Hart Lane for less than 11 months after signing from Montpellier for an undisclosed fee last September, having been a key part of the squad when the Southern French team famously pipped PSG to the league title in 2012.

However, the 24-year-old has found chances limited at Tottenham with manager Mauricio Pochettino preferring Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason as his central midfield duo. In all, Stambouli made 27 appearances last season, but only four starts in the Premier League as he spent much of the campaign on the substitutes' bench.. His sole goal came in the 1-0 Europa League win at home to Partizan Belgrade in November.

Speculation earlier this summer linked the Frenchman with a joint-move to promoted Watford alongside compatriot Etienne Capoue, but while the latter signed on at Vicarage Road, Stambouli chose to stay in north London.

Yet now he seems set for a return to France after it was revealed that he had travelled to the United States to join PSG, who are currently playing in the International Champions Cup pre-season tournament. Manager Laurent Blanc has been keen to add another midfielder to his squad following the sale of Yohan Cabaye to Crystal Palace earlier this month.

The transfer, meanwhile, would continue Pochettino’s overhaul of his Tottenham squad this summer. Aside from Capoue, Paulinho and Younes Kaboul have already left the club with Toby Alderweireld and Kieran Trippier joining the White Hart Lane ranks.