Former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie has discussed the club passing on Tottenham star Mousa Dembele.

Although Gillespie, who made more than 150 appearances for Liverpool, does not specify which Anfield gaffer was tracking Dembele before he headed to White Hart Lane, he's revealed why his former club cooled their interest in the midfielder.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Gillespie said: "I had a conversation with an ex-Liverpool manager, and talking about Dembele I said 'why don't you go and sign him?'

"He said 'his stats are poor, he doesn't create enough goals, doesn't score enough goals', hence the reason probably why Tottenham have moved him back in the holding midfield role, where it's not essential to score goals or create goals.

"I've watched him, and technically he's probably one of the most gifted midfield players in the country at this moment in time, but as you rightly say he doesn't score enough goals."