Jose Mourinho insists £65m Tottenham flop Tanguy Ndombele can turn his form around
JOSE MOURINHO still believes Tanguy Ndombele can turn things around at Tottenham.
Today is the first anniversary of midfielder Ndombele’s record £65million switch from Lyon.
But it is fair to say the past 12 months have been nothing short of a disaster.
Unfit and unimpressive, Spurs’ record buy now risks going down in history as one of the club’s biggest flops.
But Ndombele, 23, is in their squad for tonight’s trip to Euro rivals Sheffield United.
Asked if he believes the Frenchman can still be a hit, manager Mourinho said: “Of course I do.
“If you have no talent, there is nothing you can do. With talent, there is a lot you can do.
When Luka Modric arrived at Real after six months he was labelled their worst-ever signing. A few months later he was voted the world’s best player.
Jose Mourinho
“Football’s full of players who had difficult starts and then ended well.
“When Luka Modric arrived at Real Madrid after six months he was labelled their worst-ever signing.
“A few months later he was a champion, then European champion, then voted the world’s best player.”
Ndombele has started just 17 matches in all competitions for Spurs this season — scoring twice.
Mourinho, who took over from Mauricio Pochettino in November, even had to drag the player out of his home for a training run during lockdown.
Ndombele told pals he was baffled by his manager’s behaviour. And there are reports the midfielder could leave this summer, with Barcelona one of the clubs said to be eyeing him.
Yet Mourinho insists Ndombele still has what it takes to have a future at Spurs.
He said: “I didn’t know it was a year since he arrived.
“I know when I arrived there were problems. Injuries, small injuries, physical condition.
“At Tottenham, I feel every time a top player is on the bench it’s a drama — but it’s not a drama.
“I hope next season we have more top players on the bench as it means we’ll be bigger than where we are.”
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Mourinho says he and chairman Daniel Levy want Eric Dier to stay.
England star Dier, 26, is now in the final year of his contract. But Mourinho added: “He tells me he wants very much to stay, so I hope they can find an agreement.”
TOTTENHAM (likely): Lloris, Aurier, Dier, Sanchez, Davies, Sissoko, Lo Celso, Son, Dele, Moura, Kane.