Tottenham Hotspur are reported to be chasing Tanguy Ndombele. Do Arsenal need him more?
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is claimed to have opened talks for Ndombele, telling Lyon Spurs are ready to pay £35 million, but Lyon want closer to £53m (60 million Euros).
Ndombele is on loan from Amiens, with Lyon activating a clause to buy him permanently for just £7 million.
Tottenham will likely have to bend to Lyon’s demands if they want the midfielder, and they are not the only side interested.
Ndombele is a major talent, and exactly the type of player Arsenal had missed during the last decade of Arsene Wenger’s tenure.
He is powerful, strong in possession and not easily knocked off the ball. On it, he is a danger too.
His 89.4 per cent pass completion rate was higher than any Lyon midfielder, and this did not dip in Europa League competition, where he registered 89.8 per cent.
In addition to his ‘safe’ passing, came an element of creativity, with Ndombele’s six assists the joint third highest of any Lyon player, and just two fewer than Nabil Fekir.
Ndombele’s 1.9 tackles won per game also rated in the top four off all Lyon’s players.
At just 21 he is scary prospect, the sort former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was renowned for finding.
He may have finally found his man, just too late.
Now with Arsenal pursuing Lucas Torreira instead, it is Tottenham who are pushing hardest to sign Ndombele, and if they get him, the Gunners are likely to regret missing out.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
