Despite struggling last season, Tanguy Ndombele remains quite a popular figure among Tottenham Hotspur fans.
The France midfielder joined Spurs for a club-record £63 million last summer but things turned sour toward the end of last term, with Jose Mourinho invariably refusing to play him following reports of a bust-up between the pair.
As you’d imagine, there has since been 101 rumours about Ndombele leaving, including one from The Daily Mail this week that suggested Mourinho is doubting whether the former Lyon star has what it takes to thrive at Tottenham.
But if one new piece of speculation is believed, the 23-year-old isn’t going anywhere.
According to Sky Sports’ journalist Dharmesh Sheth, Ndombele is still viewed as a major asset among Tottenham’s hierarchy and he will be given chances by Mourinho to prove himself.
He said on Sky Sports’ The Transfer Show [broadcast 4pm, 02/09]: “We’ve just received some information. Nothing has changed from the club’s perspective. They still view Ndombele as an asset and he will get a chance to prove himself next season.
“You’ll remember Mourinho has been visibly frustrated and didn’t pick him on a number of occasions last season. And if Ndombele doesn’t take this chance this time, you might wonder what the future will hold.”
This could be awkard because if the Portuguese doesn’t rate the player – and evidently he doesn’t – and if Daniel Levy wants Mourinho to play him, then things could get messy.
The bottom line is that Mourinho, a two-time Champions League winner, picks the team and if he decides that Ndombele isn’t up to it then that decision must be respected.
That being said, the player, who has tested positive for COVID-19, will return to training reinvigorated and maybe he’ll have extra fire in his belly to turn things around.
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