Humiliation for Tottenham loanee as club eyes free agent signing to replace him, with double rejection dominating

Tottenham loanee Tanguy Ndombele is likely to face further disappointment as reports suggest that Napoli, his current loan club, is considering signing a free agent to replace him. The midfielder’s career has been on a downward trajectory, despite being Tottenham’s record signing at £63 million from Lyon in 2019. Ndombele had an impressive season in France, playing a vital role in helping Lyon secure a third-place finish in Ligue 1.

When Spurs spent so much money on him, big things were expected of Ndombele in England. Yet, the 26-year-old never able to shine consistently for the north London club.

As a result, he was returned to Lyon in January of last year. He was expecting to make an impression in the second part of the season before a possible permanent move back to Lyon, which would have cost £54 million.

They ultimately turned down the opportunity to bring Ndombele back on board. Spurs were forced to find another solution last summer when they sold him to Serie A team Napoli.

He will spend the entire 2022-23 season on loan with Napoli, with the option to sign him permanently for about £25 million at the end of the season. Ndombele’s time with Napoli has been similar to his time at Tottenham. While he has demonstrated moments of evident brilliance, he has never done so consistently.

The Frenchman is not a regular starter for Napoli. He has had to rely on late replacement appearances for playing time in recent weeks.

Another rejection for Tottenham’s player

According to Italian media, Napoli will not invest the £25 million required to get Ndombele on a long-term basis. To make matters worse for the player, he is scheduled to be replaced by a free agent at the Italian club.

According to Il Mattino, Napoli are interested in signing Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud. Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl has decided not to renew his contract, thus the German will be available on a free transfer this summer.

Napoli believes it makes more sense to take a chance on a free agent in Dahoud rather than pay £25 million on Ndombele. And they might gain a lot of money if Dahoud does well for them and becomes a transfer target for some of Europe’s major clubs.

Ndombele is now facing rejection from both Napoli and Tottenham. He appears to be returning to England this summer, although Spurs are unlikely to want to keep him.

Another loan exit is likely, though Spurs may struggle to find many interested clubs.

Spurs will have to absorb a significant financial blow when they finally get rid of Ndombele. His asking price has dropped from £63 million to £25 million. It could also tumble considerably further. Other clubs will have noticed Napoli’s refusal to pay £25 million for him and will use this to their advantage when negotiating with Spurs.