Tanguy Ndombele looks set to head out the door on a free transfer imminently, calling an end to five miserable years at Tottenham Hotspur.
Tottenham supporters were understandably delighted when the club pushed the boat out to bring in Tanguy Ndombele back in 2019.
The Frenchman arrived off the back of a dazzling campaign with Lyon, with Spurs paying £63 million and laying down a marker by beating the likes of Juventus to Ndombele’s signature.
Five years later, Ndombele has reportedly mutually agreed to terminate his contract at Spurs a year ahead of schedule after underwhelming loan spells at Lyon, Napoli and Galatasaray.
Many Spurs supporters have since dubbed Ndombele the ‘worst signing’ of the Daniel Levy era.
With that in mind, The Spurs News has taken a closer look at some of Tottenham’s biggest blunders in the transfer market during Levy’s 24-year reign as chairman.
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10. Gilberto
Having only managed 10 games during his short spell at Hotspur Way, Gilberto remains one of the most underwhelming additions of the Levy era.
The left-back was snapped up for just £1.9 million from Hertha Berlin in January 2008 and was part of a Brazil squad which scooped the Copa America in 2007.
Yet, Gilberto made just seven appearances in the Premier League for Spurs before his contract was mutually terminated in 2009.
9. Bryan Gil
This may seem slightly harsh on Bryan Gil considering he hasn’t exactly been given a run in the Spurs side. But when you consider the fact that Tottenham paid £21.6 million plus Erik Lamela for Gil, it has to go down as poor business.
The Spaniard arrived as one of the brightest prospects in La Liga after a promising loan spell at Eibar the season before.
Unfortunately for Gil, things just haven’t worked out for him at Spurs and after two loan spells, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him move on permanently this summer.
8. Bobby Zamora
Zamora landed at Spurs for a £1.5 million fee in 2003 after two brilliant seasons at Brighton and Hove Albion.
The Englishman was brought in by Glenn Hoddle but started just six times in the Premier League.
After failing to score a single league goal for Spurs, Zamora headed to West Ham just 18 months later in a deal which saw Jermain Defoe snapped up.
7. Roberto Soldado
A player who certainly never lacked in terms of effort but Roberto Soldado endured a miserable two years in north London.
The Spaniard was brought in for a fee worth £26 million in the same summer which saw Gareth Bale join Real Madrid.
Soldado was signed to bring goals to a Tottenham side that would be without Bale but he seemed incapable of producing the form he’d managed in La Liga.
The former Valencia man headed out the door just two years after joining with a record of 16 goals in 76 appearances.
6. Paulinho
Spurs don’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to signing Brazilian players.
Only Sandro Raniere and Lucas Moura have won the hearts of Tottenham supporters but Paulinho might be their worst addition from the South American country.
There was a lot of excitement when Paulinho arrived for a £17 million fee in the summer of 2013 after the midfielder was even compared to Frank Lampard.
After two underwhelming seasons at White Hart Lane, the Brazilian headed to the Chinese Super League.
5. Vincent Janssen
Another striker who failed to live up to the hype at Tottenham. Vincent Janssen was brought in as a Harry Kane understudy for Mauricio Pochettino in the summer of 2016.
The Dutchman had netted 27 times in the Eredivisie the season before, convincing Spurs to part with £18.6 million to secure his signature.
Like Soldado, Janssen couldn’t be faulted for his effort but he was loaned out to Fenerbahce just a year later after managing two league goals in his debut season.
Janssen secured a permanent move away from Spurs in 2019 after scoring just six goals in 42 appearances.
4. David Bentley
Tottenham fans would be forgiven for believing they had landed a David Beckham-esque wide player when David Bentley arrived from Blackburn Rovers in 2008.
His performances for Blackburn led to Spurs paying £15 million for Bentley and handed him a six-year contract. But it proved to be an uninspired move.
Bentley left Tottenham five years later and after several loan spells, he managed just 62 appearances for the club.
3. Helder Postiga
Helder Postiga was another striker who was brought in to provide goals for Tottenham.
The Portuguese star had netted 19 times for FC Porto during the 2002/03 season, helping them to a UEFA Cup victory.
However, Postiga managed just one goal in 24 appearances in his debut season in north London.
After parting with £8.25 million to land the striker, Postiga headed back to Porto a year later as part of a deal to sign Pedro Mendes.
2. Grzegorz Rasiak
Brought in on deadline day in the summer of 2005, Grzegorz Rasiak will go down as Levy’s worst last-minute addition.
The Poland international was snapped up from Derby County after he’d scored 16 goals in the Championship the season before.
After a dismal start to life at Tottenham, where he managed just nine appearances and no goals, Rasiak headed back to the Championship in February that season as he joined Southampton.
1. Tanguy Ndombele
Pound for pound the worst signing of the Levy era. The midfielder was meant to be the heir to Mousa Dembele’s throne at Spurs after joining just months after the Champions League final defeat to Liverpool.
Despite his undeniable talent, Ndombele came nowhere near replicating what Dembele managed in a Spurs shirt.
The 27-year-old remains the club’s record signing and he’s now set to head out the door for nothing five years after joining.
We witnessed glimpses of his talent but after several false dawns under Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte, you can’t help but feel glad to finally see the end of Ndombele’s spell at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.