Tottenham: £200k-a-week star ‘hasn’t impressed’ Postecoglou at Hotspur Way
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele has flattered to deceive at the north London club.
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, who is now on loan at Galatasaray, was given the chance to impress Ange Postecoglou this summer, and journalist Dean Jones has provided some details from inside the club, while speaking to GIVEMESPORT.
The Frenchman has struggled since his big-money move to Hotspur Way.
Tottenham Hotspur news – Tanguy Ndombele
Ndombele signed for Spurs from French side Lyon for a fee of £63m, back in 2019, as per Sky Sports. Being just 22 years old at the time, Ndombele was one of the most exciting young talents in Europe. Shortly after his arrival, The Guardian ran a story with a telling headline: ‘Tanguy Ndombele: the complete midfielder … as long as he is focused.’
Ultimately, in terms of his performances in a Spurs shirt, it hasn’t worked out for Ndombele. The former Lyon midfielder has played 63 times in the Premier League for the north London club, and has now been sent out on loan on three separate occasions. His latest temporary spell away from Hotspur Way saw Ndombele join Galatasaray for the campaign, after spending pre-season with Spurs under Postecoglou.
Whether his latest departure from Spurs will see him eventually leave on a permanent deal remains to be seen, but it just hasn’t worked out for Ndombele in England so far.
Tottenham’s stance on Ndombele in the summer – Dean Jones
Despite failing to secure a move for Ndombele whilst the English transfer window was open, thankfully for Spurs, Galatasaray were able to secure the player on loan a few days later. Journalist Jones has revealed that Spurs were desperate to offload Ndombele this summer after giving him a chance to impress in pre-season. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said…
“The Ndombele situation has been very strange. He should be one of the Premier League’s top midfielders, but he’s never managed to grasp the opportunities. In the end, I am told that Tottenham were desperate to get him out the door. He was given another fresh opportunity this summer by Ange Postecoglou to prove his worth and show he could have a future at the club but he didn’t impress and they just didn’t have room for passengers, so he had to be moved on.”
| Tanguy Ndombele’s average match ratings | |
|---|---|
| Napoli – Serie A – 2022/2023 | 6.24 |
| Lyon – Ligue 1 – 2021/2022 | 6.67 |
| Tottenham – Premier League – 2021/2022 | 6.46 |
| Tottenham – Premier League – 2020/2021 | 6.86 |
| Tottenham – Premier League – 2019/2020 | 6.71 |
| Lyon – Ligue 1 – 2018/2019 | 6.99 |
| All ratings via WhoScored | |
As a general rule, Ndombele’s career has taken a bit of a nosedive over the last few years. Understandably, Ndombele’s best performances came in his final season at Lyon, tempting Spurs to pay a significant fee for him. Hopefully, for his sake, his latest spell in Turkey can reignite his career. Considering Spurs paid £63m for him a few years ago, it could go down as one of Spurs’ worst-ever signings. Maybe not talent-wise, but he could certainly be up there from a financial perspective.
Does Ndombele have a chance of rebuilding his Tottenham career?
As Jones touched upon, Ndombele was given the opportunity to do so during pre-season. With Postecoglou bringing a new system, style of play, and a clean slate for all players, it was a chance for the French midfielder to stake his claim. The wages he took home certainly wouldn’t have helped his situation, earning £200k-a-week.
Back in July, Postecoglou confirmed Ndombele was working with the squad in training, speaking to the media about what the future could hold for him…
“Tanguy has been good. He’s been working hard in training, as they all have because they’ve got no choice! I take things as I see them. He was part of a Serie A-winning side last season, and he’s been working well. Within that context, I’m pleased to have him here and part of the group. What that means for the long-term, we’ll see. Who knows, maybe he won’t want to be part of things.”
The writing could be on the wall for Ndombele. If he was unable to take his chance under Postecoglou this summer, despite the Australian manager preferring technically gifted players, it could be difficult for him in the future. Maybe Ndombele isn’t suited to the Premier League, as he has shown in spells that he can produce for other clubs around Europe.
With respect, the move to Galatasaray kind of sums up how his career has gone since moving to north London, which is a huge shame considering the immense amount of talent that Ndombele had when showcasing himself with Lyon.
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