The £200,000-a-week Spurs flop’s departure has freed up significant resources.
So long, Tanguy Ndombele. Thank you for the artistic improvisation to lob Aaron Ramsdale, for leaving N’Golo Kante munching dust after wheeling away with silk and style, and for that turn-and-scoop to set up Heung-min Son, who, of course, scored in Tottenham Hotspur’s victory over Manchester City.
Moments of brilliance, class of blue-chip standing, but, alas, Ndombele has now departed upon the expiry of his contract, which was never renewed and was never openly discussed. The Frenchman, still only 27, last wore Lilywhite colours on Boxing Day 2021, earning 11 Premier League minutes against Crystal Palace before leaving for a string of unsuccessful cameos overseas.
He signed from Lyon for a club-record £55 million cost in July 2019, earning £200,000 a week, however there were few signs of promise, and journalist Paul Brown described him as “one of the worst signings Spurs have ever made”.
Farewell, Ndombele. Ange Postecoglou will make sure the blunder does not happen again, and he has already planned an intriguing substitute.
Spurs line up Premier League star
According to Football Insider, Tottenham are looking to improve the advanced area of midfield and have lined up Nottingham Forest‘s Morgan Gibbs-White, who is valued at £60 million by his club.
Daniel Levy is said to be very interested in moving the 24-year-old to north London, putting him on a shortlist and keeping a close eye on his status at the City Ground.
Forest spent £25 million to sign Gibbs-White from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2022, with further £17.5 million in potential add-ons. The Tricky Trees star, on the other hand, is regarded as one of the club’s most marketable assets as they strive to avoid breaking PSR and incurring another point deduction.
Why Gibbs-White is a Ndombele improvement.
James Maddison‘s drop in form in the last months of the season emphasised the need to sign another attacking midfielder this summer.
Giovani Lo Celso is dissatisfied at the club and is poised to leave, with Tottenham listing the Argentine for under £15 million. Ndombele is gone, and while he has been away from the first team for a few years, the pair’s departure would leave a gap in Postecoglou‘s system similar to Gibbs-White‘s.
And, given his potential for the London club, it’s certainly worthwhile to make a move. Analyst Ben Mattinson has even stated that the youngster has “got Tottenham written all over him” as speculation over a move grows.
Because Maddison is Spurs’ primary playmaker and it’s unlikely that Gibbs-White will replace him, Postecoglou must try to mould the 24-year-old after Spurs‘ fallen star, Ndombele.
The all-action midfielder’s second season at Tottenham, 2020/21, was unquestionably his best, and it is possible that Forest‘s playmaking vitality will be the much-needed upgrade to provide Spurs with a new dimension in the heart of the park.
Ndombele sat deeper than Gibbs-White for Forest, but his outstanding dribbling rate demonstrates his willingness and tactical duty to go forward and create opportunities for his teammates. Unfortunately, his playmaking ability was not fully utilised, resulting in less than a quarter of the English midfielder’s important passes on average.
But there’s no doubting Gibbs-White is strong and belligerent. He may sit more forward, but he covers significantly more ground and receives more passes from his teammates.
Given Tottenham’s search for a defensive midfielder, Gibbs-White, who now makes £80,000 per week, could be the ideal multi-functional substitute.
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