Tottenham Hotspur signed Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon for a club record deal back in July last summer. Spurs signed 23-year-old midfielder as he was touted as the next big prospect with huge potential.
However, a lot has changed at Spurs after his arrival. Mauricio Pochettino, who took them to the Champions league finals, was fired and in came the special one: Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho’s relationship with Ndombele
Jose has a very peculiar way to get the maximum out of his players.
Being openly criticized in the media and hung out to dry can fuel certain players but also can push players away.
That’s why despite his CV being filled with credentials from around the world, what’s also consistent is the Portuguese’s various fallouts with several players.
The Ndombele saga also seems to be heading in that direction.
First criticism came in early February: “Ndombele? He is injured all the time. He is injured, not injured, he plays a match, the following week he is injured.”
Soon the second one followed – “Some players, it takes a long time to adapt to a different league but a player with this potential and responsibility has to give us more than he is giving us.”
These comments may not have been well received within the Ndombele camp.
Barcelona rumors and Ndombele’s cryptic message on Instagram
The internet was rife with rumors of the Frenchman being a subject of interest for Spanish giants Barcelona.
But Ndombele took to social media yesterday and uploaded a montage of him playing for Spurs with a three-word caption which read “rien à signaler”, translating to “nothing to report” in English.
Tottenham players react with emoji-filled replies
Despite his fitness issues and erratic display, Ndombele’s potential isn’t a secret to anyone.
Especially to the Spurs players who observe him closely in the training ground.
That’s why several of them commented on the footage to show their appreciation for the player.
#thfc players reacting to Tanguy Ndombele's highlight compilation on Instagram.
— Daily Hotspur (@Daily_Hotspur) April 27, 2020
They know. 💫 pic.twitter.com/OGzEobQg1D
This clearly shows they want him to remain at the club.
In the coming summer, when transfers will be far from normal with clubs facing an economic crisis due to the pandemic, swap deals, loan moves and free transfers are expected to be the order of the day for many.
However many believe Spurs would not let their record signing – a midfielder still so young and with five years left on his contract – to walk out easily.
