Respected Tottenham Hotspur coach Mauricio Pochettino has reiterated that Ryan Sanusi's cousin, Mousa Dembele, is in the same category as Nigeria legend Austin Okocha.

Pochettino says Dembele is amongst the five talented players he has encountered in his playing and coaching careers, the others being Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho and Iván de la Peña.

The Belgium international impressed as Spurs came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Juventus in the Champions League eleven days ago.

''I can only talk about him because I know very well him after nearly four years,'' Pochettino was quoted as saying The Sun.

''And I told you and then some people use my words to describe him as a genius of the football.

"And for me he is this type of player, I think I told you in my book, I put him next to Ronaldinho, Maradona, Okocha – players that I was lucky to play with.''

The former Argentina international added : ''I think for me is one of the unbelievable talents in the history of football.

"It has been difficult for him with his fitness but now he's in an amazing moment.''

Pochettino has first-hand knowledge of what Okocha can do because they played together at Paris Saint-Germain for two seasons, before the Nigerian joined Bolton Wanderers.

Igho Kingsley