Moussa Sissoko has told Football London that Tanguy Ndombele’s form for Tottenham Hotspur this season might be reflective of the off-the-field relationships that he is building with his team-mates.
The 24-year-old looks a totally different player under Spurs boss Jose Mourinho this season.
Mourinho and Ndombele were reported to have fallen out toward the end of last term, culminating in speculation about moves to the likes of Barcelona and Juventus.
But the former Lyon midfielder – a club-record £63 million signing by Tottenham in 2019 – is finally starting to prove his mettle after a difficult first season in North London last time around.
Mourinho even claimed last week that the Lilywhites ‘missed’ Ndombele’s influence in the recent defeat at Antwerp, which symbolises his growing importance under the Portugues coach.
And Sissoko, his fellow Frenchman, believes that the player himself is finally beginning to bond with his team-mates a little more, suggesting that messing around and laughing in the dressing room might have led to a sense of freedom on the field.
The former Newcastle United winger, a £30 million addition in 2016, said: “Maybe [he is] just more open with people. When you first arrive you maybe aren’t so open. Now his English is much better and he is now playing and laughing in the dressing room.
“When you come you need time to adapt. Now the past is gone and we are focused on now. He’s happy and he’s playing well and everybody is happy in the building with what he’s doing.”
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