Paul Merson finds it ‘unbelievable’ that Tottenham wasted so much on Tanguy Ndombele and will be ‘shocked’ if the Paris Saint-Germain transfer target plays often for Spurs again.
Instead, Merson has noted in his Daily Star column that a return to Ligue 1 is ‘perfect’ for the midfielder. Tottenham paid Lyon a club-record £54m for Ndombele in 2019, in a deal that can reach £63m. But the 25-year-old has never managed to live up to the price tag.
Tottenham are now in talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a loan transfer for Ndombele to reunite with Mauricio Pochettino. The Telegraph report the two clubs are on the verge of reaching an agreement for a temporary deal that carries an option to buy the Frenchman.
Spurs have demanded that PSG cover his £200k-a-week wage in full, while the option may become an obligation. Talks progressed after Antonio Conte made it clear that he wanted the seven-cap dynamo gone before next Monday’s transfer deadline.
Conte has no intentions of including Ndombele in his short or long-term plans as he works to reshape his ranks. He has already left the midfielder out of his last two Premier League squads. While some Spurs fans jeered his substitution in the FA Cup against Morecambe.
Merson will be ‘shocked’ if Ndombele returns to Tottenham after PSG transfer
So, Ndombele’s final Tottenham game may have been on January 9, as Paris Saint-Germain near his transfer. His final Premier League match may also have been on Boxing Day against Crystal Palace. He was then an unused substitute away to both Southampton and Watford.
The Longjumeau-born ace may return to north London this summer if PSG chose not to buy him. But Ndombele regaining a regular role at Tottenham will stun Merson, who feels Paris Saint-Germain is the ideal transfer for a player of his style and unsuited to Conte’s ways.
“He’ll have good highlights, but is never going to run the game. He’s not a winner,” Merson wrote. “He’s been a big disappointment at Spurs. Sometimes you watch him and think: ‘Wow, this guy can play’. But the next minute, you wonder [what] on earth he’s doing.
“PSG are just perfect for him. Go there, do a couple of Cruyff turns, a couple of Maradonas every now and then, you’ll be fine.” Adding: “You can’t tell me Ndombele is winning them the Champions League, that he’s going to make the difference. That is not going to happen.
“He’s not a Conte player at all. Conte won’t have that. So, I’d be shocked if he ever plays for Tottenham too many more times. Spurs spent £50-odd million on him and he’s done nothing. But no-one’s really talking about it. They wasted all that money. Unbelievable.”
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