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Nabil Bentaleb is in talks over a new contract at Tottenham that is expected to double his salary.
The midfielder is likely to follow in the footsteps of Harry Kane and Ryan Mason by agreeing a deal more reflective of his status as a key first-team player at White Hart Lane.
The agreements for Kane and Mason last until summer 2020 and Bentaleb’s would be similar, with an announcement anticipated before the end of the season.
Bentaleb’s current deal, believed to be worth between £8-10,000 a week, runs until the end of the 2017-18 season but was signed in October 2013, before he had made a first-team appearance.
Player Ratings: Liverpool v Tottenham
Since then, the 20-year-old has forced his way into the Tottenham side and played in both the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations for Algeria.
The progress this season of players brought through the youth ranks at Tottenham has persuaded chairman Daniel Levy to adjust their terms. Both Mason and Kane have become vital men for head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who is also a huge admirer of Bentaleb.
Bentaleb joined Tottenham as a 17-year-old and his potential was initially rewarded by former boss Tim Sherwood, who knew the player well from his work with the club’s development squad and handed him his debut in a 3-2 win at Southampton in December 2013.
He made 20 appearances in the second half of last season and has followed that with 19 more in the current campaign. His display in the 2-1 derby win at Arsenal was particularly impressive.
Earlier this season, Bentaleb expressed confidence that he could play a part in a successful debut year for Pochettino. He told Standard Sport: “We have great players and great talent – we’re guided by the older ones which is a really good thing.
“We have to keep working as we do always and hopefully this generation of young players will have a bright future. We can all help each other.
“We want to win a trophy and qualify for the Champions League and I’m sure we can achieve our target. That is what big clubs and good teams want.”
