Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou are ready to part ways with one of their players immediately as they look to start their summer overhaul.
Spurs looking to clean house
After a disappointing end to the season which saw them lose five of their last seven games, Spurs finished the Premier League in fifth place. Given the expectations around the club following the departure of Harry Kane though, it was still arguably a successful first season for Postecoglou, who breathed life into a side that had stagnated under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
Now, the Lilywhites are keen to build upon that success and will use the summer transfer window to buy into Postecoglou’s style of play, with the Australian having already revealed major changes are needed.
“We’ve had two windows and we’ve had some development of players, for sure, but when I say we’ve still got a long way to go, that’s what I’m talking about. We can’t be there yet because it’s impossible to say you’re going to have drastic change and yet expect everyone to be on that journey. It’s not for the want of trying..it’s just that we’re going to play a certain way, we’re going to train a certain way and we’re going to have a certain mindset, and that’s not for everyone”, he explained at the beginning of May.
“I’ve got to change this squad, I have to. Because I’ve got to build a squad I think can play our football. For that to happen, there has to be exits. I can’t just keep everyone here and keep bringing in players. So sometimes you let people go who you think ‘he’s a good player’ but how am I going to change if I don’t do that.”
Now, Spurs and Postecoglou are ready to live up to those comments.
Tanguy Ndombele set to leave Spurs straight away
That comes as Tanguy Ndombele will leave the club, according to a report from Football Insider, with the Frenchman having suffered another tough loan spell. Signed from Lyon in 2019 for a club-record fee, the midfielder has never really lived up to his price tag but has undeniable quality on occasion.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice dubbed him a “street footballer” when he faced him in West Ham colours, explaining:
“He is top. Just a street footballer on the pitch. He takes the ball anywhere, little flicks and tricks. Like he doesn’t care. He does everything so confidently.
“With players like that, you just have to let them play. Give them the freedom to go out and do whatever they want. When we played against Lyon in the Europa League, he was incredible. He’s a top player.”
But he has never been able to replicate that at Tottenham, and now his time in north London is rapidly reaching its conclusion despite him still having a year left to run on his £200,000 a week deal with the club.
As per Football Insider, Spurs will kickstart their summer by trying to sell the midfielder “straight away” when he returns from Galatasaray, with there being no plans to reintegrate him into Postecoglou’s squad.
Whether a buyer can be found is another matter, but with Ndombele not having featured for the Lilywhites since January 2022, a permanent departure is likely best for all parties.