To get the measure of Mousa Dembele, forget his statistics and listen to the people who know him best. Dembele is due to complete a £9million move from Tottenham to Chinese club Guangzhou today, having won precisely nothing in 324 appearances in English football — fewer than he would have liked in eight-and-a-half injury-hit seasons since joining Fulham.

But for Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino, Dembele will always be one of the five geniuses he has had the pleasure of working with and many of his team-mates and opponents believe he is one of the best to grace the Premier League.

At Fulham, Dembele was nicknamed The Doctor because “he always made things better” and nearly every member of this Spurs squad has described the midfielder as the standout player in a group also including the likes of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli.

Jan Vertonghen has claimed Dembele’s brilliance can only be appreciated first-hand, but anyone who has watched the Belgium midfielder in full flow will understand why he is considered such a joy to play with and a nightmare to play against. As Eric Dier put it: “He’s a freak of nature. Physically, he’s a monster but he’s got ballerina feet.”

As equal parts beauty and the beast, Dembele’s skill set is unique. He can glide past opponents with the drop of a shoulder or wriggle out of the tightest traps, but anyone who gets close meets a brick wall of muscle.

Like the best players, he inflicts a sort of hopelessness in opponents, as Danny Rose explained: “You know which way he is going to go, which makes it worse, but you can’t tackle him.” Scott Parker added: “You know he will go on his left foot, but he can manipulate the ball and use his body. He is the best at shielding the ball.”

Dembele’s performance in Tottenham’s 2-2 draw against Juventus last season, which should still give Sami Khedira nightmares, was one of many where he looked on a different plane to the other 21 players and it is no wonder Pochettino says he has only seen comparable talent in four others: Ivan de la Pena, Jay-Jay Okocha, Ronaldinho and Diego Maradona.

Juventus vs Tottenham: In Pictures 19 show all Juventus vs Tottenham: In Pictures 1/19 Erik Lamela was introduced at half-time as Mauricio Pochettino made four substitutions at the interval. Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 2/19 Spurs fans celebrate Erik Lamela's strike. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 3/19 Erik Lamela's Tottenham team-mates congratulate him for his goal. Getty Images 4/19 Victor Wanyama during a midfield battle. Getty Images 5/19 Ryan Mason almost gets a boot in the face from Miralem Pjanic. AFP/Getty Images 6/19 Mauricio Pochettino had little to shout about in the first half. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 7/19 Spurs players protest as Medhi Benatia scores. Getty Images 8/19 Mehdi Benatia makes it two for Juve despite Spurs' protests. Getty Images 9/19 Vincent Janssen was marshalled well by Juve. Getty Images 10/19 Dominic Ball struggled in the opening exchanges. Getty Images 11/19 Paulo Dybala celebrates Juve's opener. Getty Images 12/19 Victor Wanyama in action in the middle. Getty Images 13/19 Kieran Trippier takes on Juve captain Kwadwo Asamoah. Getty Images 14/19 Fine support for Juve. Getty Images 15/19 Nacer Chadli and Victor Wanyama out for a warm-up. Getty Images 16/19 Juventus midfielder Hernanes greets the fans in Melbourne. Getty Images 17/19 Picture perfect! Getty Images 18/19 Spurs fans show their passion before kick-off. Getty Images 19/19 A great turnout for Spurs and Juve. Getty Images 1/19 Erik Lamela was introduced at half-time as Mauricio Pochettino made four substitutions at the interval. Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 2/19 Spurs fans celebrate Erik Lamela's strike. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 3/19 Erik Lamela's Tottenham team-mates congratulate him for his goal. Getty Images 4/19 Victor Wanyama during a midfield battle. Getty Images 5/19 Ryan Mason almost gets a boot in the face from Miralem Pjanic. AFP/Getty Images 6/19 Mauricio Pochettino had little to shout about in the first half. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 7/19 Spurs players protest as Medhi Benatia scores. Getty Images 8/19 Mehdi Benatia makes it two for Juve despite Spurs' protests. Getty Images 9/19 Vincent Janssen was marshalled well by Juve. Getty Images 10/19 Dominic Ball struggled in the opening exchanges. Getty Images 11/19 Paulo Dybala celebrates Juve's opener. Getty Images 12/19 Victor Wanyama in action in the middle. Getty Images 13/19 Kieran Trippier takes on Juve captain Kwadwo Asamoah. Getty Images 14/19 Fine support for Juve. Getty Images 15/19 Nacer Chadli and Victor Wanyama out for a warm-up. Getty Images 16/19 Juventus midfielder Hernanes greets the fans in Melbourne. Getty Images 17/19 Picture perfect! Getty Images 18/19 Spurs fans show their passion before kick-off. Getty Images 19/19 A great turnout for Spurs and Juve. Getty Images

For all his quality, Dembele has always been fundamentally frustrating. His injury problems, which are a significant reason he has decided to swap the Premier League for China aged 31, have been a constant, along with a lack of decisiveness in the final third. He has scored some fine goals, notably against Lyon in 2013, but leaves Spurs with just 10 in six-and-a-half seasons, not nearly enough for a player with such a powerful left foot.

Dembele has said his reluctance to shoot stems from a football education on the streets on Antwerp, where goals were scored by dribbling between two lampposts, and perhaps the most poignant soundbite of all came from Pochettino.

“We always told him, ‘If we had taken you at 18 or 19, you would have become one of the best players in the world’,” the Argentine said. The implication was clear: it was too late to coach Dembele, who has never particularly enjoyed training, by the time Pochettino joined in 2014.

Even so, after a difficult first season under the new boss, Dembele established himself as the beating heart of the club’s ascendency and his ability to collect the ball under pressure made him the most vital cog in Pochettino’s play-out-from-the-back philosophy. In August 2016, Pochettino said that without Dembele his Spurs side “do not exist”. He was only half joking.

The former AZ Alkmaar player’s influence has waned in the past 12 months, and a costly mistake in last season’s FA Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester United, followed by a sluggish World Cup, suggested he was beginning to lose his edge. He last played for Spurs in November, when he picked up another injury.

The timing of his departure still feels inconvenient, as Pochettino prepares for a spell without Moussa Sissoko. The Frenchman’s transformation has somewhat masked Dembele’s decline but he will now join Victor Wanyama in the treatment room after suffering a groin injury at the weekend, leaving Harry Winks and the returning Dier as the club’s only fit, senior midfielders.

Five midfielders who could replace Mousa Dembele at Spurs 6 show all Five midfielders who could replace Mousa Dembele at Spurs 1/6 With Mousa Dembele having left Tottenham, we look at the players who could replace the Belgian midfielder... AFP/Getty Images 2/6 Carlos Soler Valencia



Tottenham have scouted the Spain U21 international, and the Valencia midfielder would command a fee in the region of £30m. AFP/Getty Images/Jose Jordan 3/6 Harry Winks Tottenham



An obvious, cheap, choice for Tottenham. The boyhood fan once compared to Andres Iniesta by Pochettino is getting back to his best after injury stalled his breakthrough season. Getty Images 4/6 Tanguy Ndombele Lyon



Compared with N'Golo Kante and Michael Essien, Ndomblele, another Manchester City are keeping their eye on, has some handsome reviews. Getty Images/Alex Grimm/Bongarts 5/6 Moussa Sissoko Tottenham



Many a Tottenham fan would have scoffed at this suggestion a couple of months ago, some still might. But the French international has turned a corner in his career in north London, and has brought the fanbase on side with his performances in the absence of so many key men this season. AFP 6/6 Wilmar Barrios Boca Juniors



Perhaps more of the Victor Wanyama mould than Dembele, Barrios is better remembered for his midfield industry, and a heabutt on England's Jordan Henderson at the World Cup, than any playmaking elements. Getty Images 1/6 With Mousa Dembele having left Tottenham, we look at the players who could replace the Belgian midfielder... AFP/Getty Images 2/6 Carlos Soler Valencia



Tottenham have scouted the Spain U21 international, and the Valencia midfielder would command a fee in the region of £30m. AFP/Getty Images/Jose Jordan 3/6 Harry Winks Tottenham



An obvious, cheap, choice for Tottenham. The boyhood fan once compared to Andres Iniesta by Pochettino is getting back to his best after injury stalled his breakthrough season. Getty Images 4/6 Tanguy Ndombele Lyon



Compared with N'Golo Kante and Michael Essien, Ndomblele, another Manchester City are keeping their eye on, has some handsome reviews. Getty Images/Alex Grimm/Bongarts 5/6 Moussa Sissoko Tottenham



Many a Tottenham fan would have scoffed at this suggestion a couple of months ago, some still might. But the French international has turned a corner in his career in north London, and has brought the fanbase on side with his performances in the absence of so many key men this season. AFP 6/6 Wilmar Barrios Boca Juniors



Perhaps more of the Victor Wanyama mould than Dembele, Barrios is better remembered for his midfield industry, and a heabutt on England's Jordan Henderson at the World Cup, than any playmaking elements. Getty Images

The sight of Oliver Skipp warming up against United on Sunday was sobering but the 18-year-old has effectively replaced Dembele, with Pochettino pessimistic about making signings this month.

In the summer, they will have to look for a replacement but as Jermaine Jenas, another of his former team-mates, once put it: “There’s no one else who can do what he does.”