Jenas claims Spurs star is ‘far too talented not to be a starter’

Former Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas has backed Tanguy Ndombele to nail down a spot in the Tottenham team and go on to be a key player for the side.

A lot was expected of Ndombele after his arrival from Lyon for a club-record fee of £55.45m plus add ons (the Guardian) but the 23-year-old has endured a frustrating start to life in North London due to a series of injuries.

Even though he has shown glimpses of his quality, he has never managed to get a consistent run in the side. Jose Mourinho has previously aired his frustration about the midfielder’s inability to stay fit for a sustained period of time (The Metro).

After coming on for an impressive cameo against Manchester City on Sunday, the Frenchman started the FA Cup tie against Southampton and had a decent hour of football before being replaced by Dele Alli.

Jenas, who was covering the game for BT Sport (BT Sport 1 HD on 5/2/20 from 19:15), insisted that the former Lyon man was too good not to be a regular in Mourinho’s side and suggested that Spurs fans are yet to see the best of him.

Speaking about Ndombele, the former England midfielder said: “He’s far too talented to not be a main starter in this team.

“I watched him during his spell at Lyon and they went to Manchester City in the Champions League and he absolutely bossed the midfield at the Etihad.

“That night I remember thinking that Spurs are desperate for someone like him.

“They’ve lost Wanyama, they’ve lost Dembele, they need that power in that midfield. Since bringing him in he’s kind of shown it in little fits and spurts but he hasn’t had that sustained place in the team and I think that’s what’s really frustrated Jose.

“I think he’s felt that there have been certain injuries that he could have played through, that other players would have played through but he didn’t.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I think it is clear that Ndombele is being integrated into the side slowly as he doesn’t yet have the fitness to complete 90 minutes in the Premier League. Hopefully, once he is adapted physically to the league, we will start seeing him dominate games. I am really excited about the idea of playing him in a three-man midfield with Giovani Lo Celso and Harry Winks.

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