According to Football.London, Tottenham Hotspur have a serious dilemma as Tanguy Dembele’s future remains uncertain with this season ending soon. Upon his return last summer, Ndombele discovered his future to be sceptical and now finds himself back at Tottenham’s Hotspur Way training centre facing a similar predicament.
Ndombele’s Run Of Form In League Football
Ndombele was loaned to Olympique Lyon in the January transfer window last year after falling the pecking order at North London. He managed to produce two assists after only appearing in 11 matches for the French outfit last season before returning to Tottenham and asking for a permanent exit. However, he was only then loaned to Napoli, where the 26-year-old has only started ten of his 37 appearances for them, scoring two goals and creating one assist.
The Longjumeau-born talent is averaging 0.5 shots, 0.7 dribbles and 0.4 tackles per game in Serie A, which shows that he has failed to put up impressive numbers in the Serie A so far. However, he has been excellent with his ball distribution after completing 89.2% of his attempted passes in the Italian top flight (stats via whoscored).
Will Napoli Activate The Option To Sign Him From Tottenham Hotspur?
Napoli have the option in their agreement with Tottenham to sign the midfielder for €30 million (£26.3m). Still, it remains to be seen if the Italian side will activate that option considering his unsuccessful loan spell in Italy.
The appointment of a new head coach this summer could provide the £54 million midfielder with a chance to start afresh at Tottenham. However, similar to his previous coaches, the long-term successor to Antonio Conte will encounter the challenge of extracting Ndombele’s best performances.
Previous managers have found it challenging to unlock the potential of the talented midfielder due to his inconsistent performances, fitness issues, and lack of work rate, which have prevented him from becoming a significant success in the Premier League for Tottenham. The club does not want to find themselves, for the fifth consecutive season, merely hoping that Ndombele will finally justify his acquisition by showcasing his worth.
The Lillywhites face two options regarding Ndombele’s future. Firstly, the club can choose to sever ties with the player, which is expected to be challenging given his decreased transfer value and the lack of potential suitors. Alternatively, Ndombele could remain a part of the club’s plans and be integrated into the new head coach’s squad going forward. The next few months are crucial for resolving Ndombele’s future, not just for the club but also for the player himself.
