Contrary to reports over the last few days, Football.London’s Alasdair Gold has claimed that Jose Mourinho still wants to work with Tanguy Ndombele and believes he can bring the best out of the midfielder.
Despite Mourinho praising Ndombele’s commitment before Tottenham’s return to Premier League action, the midfielder has not managed to get any minutes under his belt in Spurs’ first two games since the restart.
There have been reports indicating that the Spurs boss wants the 23-year-old to do more in training (The Athletic), with the North Londoners set to be ready to cut their loses on their record signing when the transfer window opens in the summer (L’Equipe).
However, Gold has revealed that Mourinho still wants to work with Ndombele and that it is ultimately up to the midfielder to turn his Spurs career around.
When asked in a Q and A if Spurs are likely to use the midfielder is a swap deal this summer, Gold said: “Ultimately it depends on Ndombele. Mourinho wants to work with him and the club don’t want to sell their record signing.
“Mourinho denied there was any rift when I asked him but the fact Ndombele didn’t even warm up at any point during the game suggests things aren’t perfect.”
The journalist also insisted that using both Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso in the middle of the park is out of the question at the moment since Mourinho and the coaching staff are working on the team’s defensive structure.
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When asked if the Spurs boss rates the French international, the journalist responded: “From everything I’ve heard he has and I don’t think he’d have broken lockdown guidance to personally work and talk to him if he didn’t.
“Mourinho is working on the defensive structure of the side at the moment, building from the back, and that doesn’t allow for two creative midfielders in the centre of the park.
“Lo Celso will get that one spot every time on current form.”
Spurs Web Opinion
I believe most Spurs fans accept that the Lo Celso-Sissoko pivot is Jose’s first choice but it is the fact that Ndombele has not got any minutes from the bench that some are puzzled by.
The fans and the media may be making too much of this situation. I expect the Frenchman to get his chance in the next couple of matches and if he does well, he can potentially play himself into Jose’s plans.
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