To a lot of football fans out there, the name Tanguy Ndombele may not ring a bell. This is because the black-skinned Tottenham player hasn’t achieved what icons like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have in their trailblazing careers. But that doesn’t mean the youngster is without potential.
Born in France to Congolese parents, 22-year old Tanguy Ndombele was introduced to the game as a child, playing for FC Epinay Athletico, a club about 20kilometres south of Paris.
In 2014, while he was with SC Amiens (who had just been relegated from French Ligue 2), Ndombele tried out for different clubs but was rejected because they regarded him as someone who was “overweight”. He moved to Lyon in 2017 on a one-year loan contract before eventually signing for Tottenham Hotspur in a £55.45 million deal.
For a player who is relatively unknown internationally, Spurs have obviously taken a risk in the acquisition. Is Ndombele really worth the record signing? That question requires quick analysis of his gameplay.
Tanguy Ndombele is a midfielder who covers a lot of ground and controls the centre of the pitch. With just a few games at Lyon, he began dominating matches in the centre of the midfield.
In the 2018/19 season, he continued to shine with his all-action style seeing him press and challenge opponents when out of possession. He constantly drove his side forward relentlessly.
Ndombele is one of the best ball progressors in European football, both in terms of passing and carrying the ball forward. The success rate of his passes last season was 84.3%. The Frenchman has proved how dangerous he is when he is with the ball. As a physically strong player, Ndombele is also an outstanding dribbler who combines strength and technical ability well in every game.
Fellow midfielder, Dele Alli, has said he is excited to be playing alongside Ndombele.
With the English Premier League 2019/20 season set to begin on Friday, August 9, it appears Spurs have found a rare talent in Tanguy Ndombele and look set to start on a high note.
