Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly put an end to differences with club record signing Tanguy Ndombele. However, a report in France claims that the player no longer wants to work under the current boss and all contact between them has been severed.
Ndombele joined Spurs from Lyon last summer in an initial £55m plus add-ons deal but has struggled with injuries and fitness. Mourinho has started sparingly since replacing Mauricio Pochettino in November and has been publicly criticized by his manager.
Ndombele has not played since games resumed / Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images
Ndombele was taken off at half-time when Spurs faced Burnley in March and after the game, Mourinho vehemently declared, “We didn’t have a midfield in the first half.”
The boss added at the time, “I’m not going to run away and I have to say that. [Ndombele] You have got enough time to come to a different level.
“I know the Premier League is difficult, and some players take a long time to adapt to a different league. But a player of his caliber has to give us more than what he is giving us, especially when You see how Lucas, Lu Celso and those players are playing.
Mourinho was later seen putting Ndombele through his paces in a training session at a local park in April, flouting coronavirus lockdown restrictions in the process.
Since games resumed this month, Ndombele has been the only unused substitute.
Mourinho publicly criticized Ndombele in March / IAN KINGTON/Getty Images
Speaking after Wednesday night’s 2-0 win over West Ham, Mourinho explained his decision to leave Ndombele out of the squad, saying he is not the only player affected.
“You know, it’s not just him (Ndombele). I try to do the best for my team. I can’t start the game with 12 or 13 players, I try to do the best for the team. I do,” he told the media.
“Sometimes I apologize to my players who are not my first choice because I think their work in training deserves more than what I give, but I have to do my job the best I can and I feel that they I didn’t need it for two matches.”
Mourinho has left Ndombele out of last 2 games / Poll/Getty Images
But it has since emerged from French outlet TF1 that a meeting between Ndombele and Mourinho took place this week in which the player told his manager he no longer wanted to work for him.
With some Spurs players said to be trying to mediate and fight Ndombele’s corner by highlighting his good performances in training, there is a reported direct disconnect between the France international and Mourinho. .
French journalist Santi Avona has reported that Paris Saint-Germain are interested in Ndombele, as was the case in March when his relationship with Mourinho was first on the rocks.
This could take the form of an initial loan deal and PSG coach Thomas Tuchel is said to be internally pushing the French champions to make an approach.
Ona added that Barcelona and Bayern Munich are also keeping an eye on things.
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