Tottenham Hotspur and Tanguy Ndombele have decided to part ways.
The French midfielder has been surplus to requirements at Spurs for a few years now. They have tried to move him on permanently, but no move materialised in previous windows.
After a disappointing loan spell at Galatasaray, Tottenham realised it will be difficult to find a buyer for him. So, Daniel Levy decided to strike a deal with Ndombele to terminate his contract on Wednesday.
What Gareth Bale said about Tanguy Ndombele in 2021
Tottenham signed Ndombele from Lyon in the summer of 2019 for a club-record £63 million (Sky Sports).
The Frenchman was viewed by many as one of the best young players in the world at the time. He had everything that you would want from a central midfielder.
After a move for Frenkie De Jong didn’t materialise, Tottenham signed Ndombele, and everyone at the club was excited to see him play.
The midfielder’s performance on his debut further raised the excitement levels in and around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Even Gareth Bale, who returned to Spurs on loan in 2020, was amazed by Ndombele, so much so that he compared him to Brazil legend Ronaldinho.
When asked which player had surprised him the most at Tottenham on his return, Bale told Sky Sports in June 2021: “I’d probably say Ndombele this season. I hadn’t seen too much of him when I was watching Spurs games the season before.
“I think, obviously, he had an adaption period coming over to England because it’s quite a big jump. Just seeing what he does in training and on the pitch, I was very surprised.
“The amount of ability he has is actually frightening, the stuff he does with the ball kind of reminds me of the things you see Ronaldinho do with the ball. It is quite nice to watch.
“I wouldn’t say on a par [with Ronaldinho], but it reminds me of some of the stuff he does with the ball. It’s mind-blowing, especially in training.”
Tottenham’s decisions didn’t help Ndombele
Ndombele is the biggest example of wasted potential.
The Frenchman had the world at his feet when he joined Tottenham. He could’ve gone on to become one of the best midfielders on the planet then, but things just didn’t work out.
Ndombele will have to put his hands up and accept most of the blame for how his career has panned out, but Tottenham deserve some blame too.
Spurs went from an attack-minded coach in Mauricio Pochettino, who signed Ndombele, to defensive managers like Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte.
None of their systems ever suited Ndombele, and that played a part in his downfall over the years.
Bale’s comments above show just how good Ndombele really is. It’s just a shame now to see his Tottenham contract terminated.