Noel Whelan insists Tottenham Hotspur should sell Tanguy Ndombele this summer.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Leeds striker believes Ndombele has “done nothing” ever since he arrived in north London.
Daniel Levy has made it clear the Spurs star will not be sold in the summer, and his stance remains unchanged, even though the board feel he is attempting to force his way out of the club.
Ndombele, who is the club’s record signing, has struggled to settle down this season.
Jose Mourinho claimed he is happy with the the Frenchman’s work ethic, as the pair made the headlines for breaking government guidelines to train together during lockdown, but he hasn’t featured in the two games following the Premier League restart.
Mourinho was again forced to deny reports of a rift after he failed to make an appearance against West Ham.
Whelan believes Ndombele doesn’t have the right attitude to succeed at Spurs and suggested the board should cut their losses instead. The pundit told assistant editor Russell Edge “Look, I don’t like these sort of players, they need to be sold. He’s done nothing since he came to Tottenham, quite frankly.
“He had that debut where he scored a goal but after that, clearly, he doesn’t have the work rate that Jose Mourinho or the Premier League demands to become a special player.
“It’s different in France when you’re playing there, it’s a different style and different pace – not as good players there so you can stand out. Does he stand out in the Tottenham side in every game that he plays? Not really.
“There’s certain things that you demand and the first thing you look for is character and can you fit into a squad? You’ve just gone and seen Liverpool win the championship with a tight-knit group, they’re all friends, they all work hard, in the midfield area there’s not one that doesn’t put themselves about.
“Now he’s shown he can’t do that and with those sort of players in the side, you’re not going to challenge for the Premier League title.”
It is difficult to disagree with Whelan on this one, as Ndombele wants to leave Tottenham amid interest from Barcelona.
The Frenchman has struggled for consistency so far, as he has played 19 games in the Premier League this season, scoring 2 goals, providing 2 assists, averaging fewer than one shot and one key pass per game via WhoScored.
Clubs are facing financial pressure from the pandemic and both clubs are operating on a tight budget. Barca are reportedly only interested in a swap deal involving Nelson Semedo or Philippe Coutinho as a result.
Mourinho is eager to sign Coutinho in the summer, as he moaned about the lack of creative options in the game against Manchester United.
Spurs have been working towards sorting out a loan move for the Brazilian playmaker. The Portuguese could solve both problems by replacing Ndombele with Coutinho. While he has failed to find the form he enjoyed with Liverpool, he is still a world-class player.
Although Levy would be looking to recoup some of the costs he spent on the midfielder, Mourinho may decide to ditch the troublemaker if he continues to cause disruption.
The pair share a strained relationship, which has grown increasingly tenuous in recent weeks, and a trade may be best for everyone involved.
Tottenham fans, do you think Mourinho should give Tanguy Ndombele another chance? Let us know down below!