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​Dembele reveals playing through the pain barrier for Tottenham

Mousa Dembele has revealed he will never again be 100 per cent fit but says he is ready to play through the pain for Tottenham this season, reports the London Evening Standard.

Playing for the first time since foot surgery in May, Dembele featured in Tottenham's 4-2 win over Paris St Germain in the International Champions Cup in Orlando on Saturday.

The midfielder, who turned 30 this month, says the situation has improved but admitted he was playing at 70 per cent last season.

Asked if he would always have to manage the pain, Dembele said: "Yes. But I don't think there are any footballers playing at 100 per cent, without anything wrong. All my career I've played with things - this was too much and that's why I had to do something.

"The foot is okay [since the surgery]. In the beginning it was a bit difficult but I've a lot of training sessions behind me now and it gets better and better to be honest."

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Ian Ferris
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