Transfer Centre

Tottenham Hotspur terminate contract of record signing after failed five years

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 12 June 2024

Tottenham terminate contract of record signing after failed five years

Tottenham Hotspur confirm that they have terminated the contract of French midfielder Tanguy Ndombele - their all-time record signing - by mutual consent.

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that Tanguy Ndombele's contract has been terminated by mutual consent.

The France international became the most expensive player in the club's history in the summer of 2019, when he arrived in a £52.7m deal from Ligue 1 giants Lyon.

Ndombele had established a reputation as one of Europe's most promising midfielders during his time in his homeland, but he immediately struggled to adapt to the demands of Premier League football.

Ndombele's debut season at Tottenham was not helped by managerial disruption, as Mauricio Pochettino was sacked and replaced by Jose Mourinho, who at one stage singled him out for poor performances and a lack of fitness.

The COVID-19 pandemic then deprived Ndombele of the chance to revive his stuttering Tottenham career for a number of months, but the 2020-21 season was somewhat productive for the midfielder, who started 28 Premier League games and contributed three goals and two assists.

Tanguy Ndombele warms up for Tottenham Hotspur in September 2021 © Reuters

Tottenham wish Ndombele "all the best" after termination

However, the arrival of Antonio Conte then marked another downturn in fortunes for the Frenchman, whose final appearance for Tottenham came in a 3-1 FA Cup third-round win over Morecambe in January 2022.

On that occasion, Ndombele failed to make an impact and was hooked with just 69 minutes on the clock and trudged his way off the pitch slowly, being jeered by incensed Tottenham fans in the process.

The 27-year-old subsequently spent the remainder of that campaign on loan with former side Lyon, who turned down the chance to re-sign him permanently, before temporary stints with Napoli and Galatasaray, winning Serie A with the former.

Ndombele's contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium still had another year, but Spurs have decided to cut their losses and let their most expensive player walk out of the door for nothing.

"The Club can confirm the departure of Tanguy Ndombele following the mutual termination of his contract, effective from 30 June, upon the conclusion of his current loan spell. We should like to wish Tanguy all the best for the future," Tottenham said in a statement.

Tottenham Hotspur's Tanguy Ndombele walks off the pitch after being substituted on January 9, 2022 © Reuters

Ndombele leaves Tottenham with a record of 10 goals and nine assists under his belt from 91 matches, and he joins Eric Dier, Japhet Tanganga, Ryan Sessegnon and Ivan Perisic in departing for nothing.

What next for Ndombele after Tottenham exit?

Tottenham allowing their £52.7m man to walk out of the door for free shows how desperate both sides were to sever ties from one another, or that Spurs were not anticipating any respectable bids for the Frenchman in the summer transfer window.

Either way, the future is now extremely unclear for the midfielder, who was not a prominent member of Napoli's Scudetto-winning machine and only made a fleeting impact at Galatasaray last term.

A return to France as a free agent is seemingly Ndombele's best bet to revive his stalled career, and a spot in the Lyon midfield could open up if Les Gones do not make Orel Mangala's loan move from Nottingham Forest permanent.