PARIS, Feb 9 — Former Tottenham midfield Mousa Dembele, best known for his time in north London and in his World Cup campaigns with Belgium, announced on Tuesday he will retire at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old is currently playing for Guangzhou City in China, and was widely praised for his rampaging box-to-box role in the Red Devils taking third place at the 2018 World Cup.

He also spent a decade in the Premier League, first with Fulham, and then Spurs.

His announcement comes after confusion that he may have already retired.

"To clear up, I haven’t stopped yet, I still have a year on my contract left,” Dembele wrote on Instagram after receieving messages wishing him a happy retirement.

"But I can already share that I will stop my career after this year is finished,” said the man who played seven seasons at Spurs and 82 times for his nation. — AFP