Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele has claimed that he has ‘things to prove’ after completing a permanent move to OGC Nice.
Tottenham Hotspur made the decision to sign Tanguy Ndombele from French side Lyon back in the summer of 2019 for a fee in the region of £63 million, which was a record for Spurs.
However, despite having an abundance of quality, the move never worked out for him as he clashed with Jose Mourinho, before winning his trust before then falling down the pecking order under Antonio Conte.
Ndombele has had two loan spells at Napoli and Galatasaray but they too did not work out well for the Frenchman.
Ndombele excited for new challenge at OGC Nice
As mentioned, the French midfielder has been given a lifeline at Ligue 1 side OGC Nice and he will be hoping to reignite a stuttering career.
Before moving to Tottenham, Ndombele had the choice of most of the top clubs from around Europe including Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, but the midfielder chose the Lilywhites.
Speaking to French outlet Nice-Matin, Ndombele was asked about his new club and whether he has something to prove.
“Joining Nice is a natural choice, given my somewhat complicated career over the last few years. Coming back to France was the right choice for me. I’ve known Florian Maurice since my time at Lyon, and that’s also what tipped the balance,” he said.
“I had a good feeling that Nice were the best choice for me. I’m at a stage in my footballing life where I need to play. I want to rediscover some of my sensations. I’m happy to be here, the coach talks to me like he talks to all the players.
“There’s no guarantee of playing time, but I know I’ve got things to prove. The most important thing is the team.”
Ndombele’s previous struggles at Tottenham
Ndombele’s troubles in the Premier League were well documented, particularly during the early days of Jose Mourinho’s reign at the club.
After a draw against Burnley back in March of 2020, Mourinho said of his midfield, which consisted of Ndombele and Oliver Skipp: “My thinking was that in the first half we didn’t have a midfield. Simple as that.
“I’m not going to run away and I have to say that Tanguy had enough time to come to a different level.”
Despite the struggles between the pair, Ndombele eventually won over the trust of Mourinho and this eventually led to the Portuguese manager labelling him as a ‘genius‘ in 2021.
However, his time in England never worked out and Ndombele will be hoping he can reignite his career back in his homeland.
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