Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti has hinted at Tottenham Hotspur making a mistake by letting Tanguy Ndombele go on loan. He feels the midfielder would improve Antonio Conte’s side.
Tottenham sent Ndombele on loan to Napoli for the season last August. The Azzurri’s deal also includes an option to buy the 26-year-old having failed to justify his price tag in north London. Chairman Daniel Levy paid Lyon a club-record £54m, rising to £63m, back in 2019.
Ndombele still has two years remaining on his £200k-a-week contract at Tottenham having signed a six-year deal. Yet for the cash that Spurs invested, the seven-cap France star only returned Levy’s investment with 10 goals and nine assists in 91 outings in all competitions.
Napoli do not believe Ndombele is worth the price of their option to buy
Napoli are yet to see much creativity out of Ndombele during his loan transfer, either. The 5 ft 11 dynamo has only scored once and laid on one assist in 32 appearances. He has also only started nine of those outings, including six Serie A fixtures and none since November.
Given Ndombele’s limited role under Spalletti, Napoli hope Tottenham agree to reduce the fee for his permanent transfer. Calciomercato recently reported sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli wanted talks with Spurs as he seriously questions paying a €30m (£26.5m) option.
Napoli will decide Ndombele’s long-term future at the end of his loan and hope Tottenham agree to a substantial discount. Yet a return to north London could still see the midfielder play under Spalletti. CalcioMercatoWeb reports that he is on Levy’s radar to replace Conte.
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Spalletti believes Ndombele would have helped Tottenham against AC Milan
Spalletti has also now hinted that Tottenham made a mistake after letting Ndombele move to Napoli on loan last summer. He feels the Frenchman would have improved Conte’s side against AC Milan in the Champions League as Spurs left the tournament 1-0 in the last 16.
The Azzurri boss watched the UEFA encounter and saw scope in Spurs’ efforts where they would have benefitted from Ndombele. Even though he was not totally convinced Napoli signed a player who would improve their squad when he arrived on loan from Tottenham.
“Ndombele is a strong player,” Spalletti stated, via TuttoMercatoWEB. “At the beginning, I didn’t know him much. There was the doubt [about] why Tottenham had let him leave.
“From what I saw, watching the Milan-Tottenham match, from what I know I would have seen him well inside. He’s someone I train willingly, he’s also a very sweet boy.
“Physically strong, in the modernity of football there is this physical strength to include which is important. He has strength, engine, technique [and] flashes in which he sees where the hole is. I like him, as they say in Tuscany.”
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