Tottenham Hotspur loanee Tanguy Ndombele did little to endear himself to the Galatasaray supporters with another ineffective display during the 3-3 Champions League thriller with Manchester United.
Is there a more typically ‘Turkish Super Lig player’ than Tanguy Ndombele?
A £63 million midfielder whose career has gone rocketing off the rails, following in the footsteps of so many other Premier League misfits when leaving Tottenham Hotspur on loan alongside Davinson Sanchez over the summer.
Tottenham’s Tanguy Ndombele struggles again
Sanchez, impressive since his arrival in Turkey, was a man much missed as Galatasaray were breached three times by Manchester United on Wednesday. Ndombele, in contrast, trudged off amid a chorus of whistles on the 60 minute mark, a Galatasaray fanbase never afraid to make their feelings clear singling out the Spurs loanee for all the wrong reasons as a fraught beginning to life in Istanbul continues (Sporx).
In fact, the reaction to his second-half substitution was such that Gala coach Okan Buruk found himself compelled to throw his weigh behind the much-maligned France international at full-time.
“I chose Ndombele because he could physically respond to (Sofyan) Amrabat and (Scott) McTominay in midfield,” Buruk tells AA, his Galatasaray side fighting back from 2-0 and 3-1 down on the night.
“I don’t think Ndombele played very badly. He did his duty in the game. Unfortunately, when the team is behind, no matter which player comes off, there is a sound (from the crowd). This was not a sound coming from the entire stadium.
“I also tried to support Ndombele with my applause. I’m happy with the performance of all my players. I thank them.”
Only three starts since leaving Spurs
Buruk may have a point, of course. Galatasaray had just conceded to Scott McTominay when Ndombele’s number flashed up from the sidelines. But, making just his third start for the club amid concerns over his match fitness, patience already appears to be wearing thin with a man who came in for similar criticism during his ill-fated spell at Tottenham too.
He was, in the words of Super Haber, little more than a ‘ghost’ against Manchester United.
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