Tottenham Hotspur set for £26m Tanguy Ndombele windfall?

Tottenham Hotspur could reportedly be set for a £26m windfall with unwanted midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.

The Frenchman became the Lilywhites' most expensive player when he arrived in a £54m deal from Lyon in the summer of 2019, but he has failed to make a name for himself in North London.

Ndombele failed to win over Mauricio Pochettino or Jose Mourinho, and his fortunes did not improve under Nuno Espirito Santo or Antonio Conte either.

The midfielder was loaned back out to Lyon for the 2021-22 season with an option to make the deal permanent for the £54m that they had initially signed him for, but Lyon passed up on that opportunity.

Instead, Ndombele has now linked up with Serie A powerhouses Napoli, where he has scored one goal and set up one more in 11 appearances in all competitions.

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Ndombele's goal contributions have all come in the Champions League, but he has started the Partenopei's last two games in Serie A amid their impressive winning streak.

Napoli have an option to make the 25-year-old's stay permanent at the end of the season, and The Express claims that Spurs will receive a £26m windfall if that is activated.

Such a move would bring Ndombele's ill-fated stint in North London to an end three years after his signing, during which time he has made just 91 appearances for the Lilywhites.

The France international has come up with 10 goals and nine assists in that time, including scoring twice and setting up once in 16 outings in all competitions.

However, Ndombele only started six Premier League games in the first half of the 2021-22 season, with Rodrigo Bentancur brought in from Juventus midway through the season.

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Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg formed an effective midfield partnership for Conte in the second half of the campaign, while Yves Bissouma joined from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer.

Bissouma, Hojbjerg and Bentancur lined up as Tottenham's midfield trio against Manchester United at Old Trafford, but Conte's side were nullified in a dampening 2-0 loss.

The result leaves Tottenham third in the Premier League table with 23 points, and leaders Arsenal could move seven points clear should they win their game in hand.

The Lilywhites will endeavour to bounce back from that defeat when they welcome Newcastle United to North London on Sunday afternoon.