Former Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder considers retirement after suffering heart attack

Former Newcastle United loanee Nabil Bentaleb is weighing up retirement as he recovers from a cardiac arrest.

The midfielder suffered a heart scare 10 days ago during a five-a-side game with friends. Bentaleb - who now plays for Lille - was saved by the quick thinking of those around him as they performed CPR.

A defibrillator was used to resuscitate the 29-year-old, who underwent successful surgery the following day to fit a pacemaker. His move to Lille faced jeopardy last summer when an asymptomatic inflammation of the myocardium - a muscle in the heart - was discovered.

The deal went ahead and Bentaleb made 36 appearances across all competitions for Les Dogues last season. An official Lille statement urged privacy following the life-changing ordeal, with retirement now an option.

“Nabil Bentaleb fell ill on Tuesday evening and was immediately taken into care and sent to the University Hospital in Lille to receive treatment,” the announcement read. “We call on everyone to respect the player’s private life.”

Bentaleb played 15 times for Newcastle after arriving on loan in January 2020. Steve Bruce brought the Algerian international in alongside Danny Rose and Valentino Lazaro to help stave off relegation fears.

The Covid-19 pandemic immediately impacted his spell at St James’ Park just weeks later. Bentaleb played 15 times for Newcastle, the bulk of those behind closed doors due to coronavirus.

He is also an experienced international having represented Algeria on 52 occasions. Lille, however, is his place of birth, and he returned to his hometown club after playing for the club as a youngster.