Collapsed Tottenham deal to saddle new Spurs manager with unwanted star unless Daniel Levy swallows his pride
A Tottenham transfer will be aborted in a move that’ll saddle the next Spurs manager with an unwanted player – unless Daniel Levy swallows his pride and signs off on an agreement for inferior terms, per a report.
Spurs have a plethora of recognised first-team stars currently out on loan. The likes of Joe Rodon, Sergio Reguilon, Harry Winks, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso all left on a temporary basis in pre-season. They were followed up by January loan exits involving Djed Spence and Bryan Gil.
Of that seven-strong list, only one player is likely to finish the current campaign with a major honour on his CV – Tanguy Ndombele.
The maverick midfielder, 26, is poised to pick up a Serie A winners medal with Napoli. The Naples club hold a practically insurmountable 19-point lead over nearest challenger Lazio in Italy’s top flight at present.
Ndombele hasn’t featured all that regularly in Naples, though has impressed manager Luciano Spalletti with his attitude and application.
Spalletti recently suggested Ndombele would find his minutes greatly increase as the season comes to a close. Ndombele did his chances of seeing extra game-time a world of good on Sunday when scoring his first Napoli goal in a 4-0 thumping of Torino.
Ndombele was a £55.45m signing for Tottenham back in 2019, though a succession of Spurs managers have been unable to bring out his best on a consistent basis.
As such, he was loaned to Napoli last summer and the deal contained an option to buy worth €28m (approx. £24.75m).
The fact an option was included suggests Tottenham would be happy to cut Ndombele loose once and for all. However, according to Il Matino, that can only happen if Daniel Levy and Spurs’ decision-makers swallow their pride.
Tottenham can sell Ndombele… for even smaller fee
The Italian outlet (via Football Italia), report Napoli ‘won’t make Tanguy Ndombele’s move permanent’. However, that’s not to say Ndombele cannot return to Napoli one way or another next term.
Indeed, the report adds Napoli are willing to bring Ndombele back on board, though hope a deal can be made for a sum below the £24.75m option.
That would require a climbdown from Tottenham who’d need to incur an even bigger loss on the £55.45m they paid Lyon.
Failing that, another loan spell is possible, though would make little sense with Ndombele’s contract expiring in the summer of 2025. He’s have just one year left after the second loan stint concludes and at that point, his transfer value would be greatly diminished.
Furthermore, delaying his inevitable sale by 12 months would not bolster the transfer kitty of whoever succeed Antonio Conte in the dugout this summer.
As such, if Spurs are to finally wave goodbye to a player who never ignited in north London, the club’s hierarchy will have to swallow their pride.
Tottenham may hope another suitor comes in for Ndombele. But given he’s hardly featured this season, the chances of a different side being willing to pay what Napoli aren’t is incredibly slim.
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