Nabil Bentaleb, who played for Tottenham between 2012 and 2017, could be forced to retire this summer after a recent illness actually turned out to be a cardiac arrest.
RMC Sport cover the midfielder today and how he may be forced into a decision on his future after recently feeling unwell and being taken to hospital.
Bentaleb currently plays for Lille in France after joining them in a €4.5m deal from Angers last summer, having managed to bounce back with the French side.
That came after spells all over Europe playing for Tottenham, Schalke and Newcastle before the German side released him in July 2021.
Lille published a press release earlier this month informing the media that Bentaleb had felt unwell and was taken to Lille University Hospital for tests over several days.
That was followed by a positive report on the player’s status, with Lille insisting that he would be returning home soon, and all was well.
RMC now report that the former Tottenham man was taken to hospital on June 18th as he had suffered a cardiac arrest, with the use of a defibrillator required.
He was put into an artificial coma and has since undergone successful surgery that’s seen him fitted with a pacemaker to stabilise his cardiac activity. He’s set to return home, and his playing career will now be in the hands of the FFF medical commission.
They will have to deem whether he is fit to continue his career but given the intervention that was required at the time, it is ‘highly probable’ that he will be forced into retirement at just 29-years-of-age.
