Tottenham have no intention of selling record-signing Tanguy Ndombele this summer, with the club backing the Frenchman to be a major hit in the long haul.
Ndombele has attracted a lot of attention during his debut Premier League season, as a result of his sensationalised 'rift' with manager Jose Mourinho rather than his on-field performances.
The Frenchman has endured fitness, injury and consistency woes this term, finding it tough to acclimatise to the Premier League following his move from Lyon in the summer.
He has, however, often teased his supreme ability with the ball at his feet and Football London understand the club won't sell Ndombele this summer, despite reports surfacing in France of a fresh disagreement between player and manager in the week leading up to Spurs' 2-0 victory over West Ham - in which Ndombele was an unused substitute for the second game on the spin.
Mourinho, though, was quick to shut down any claims of a rift post-match, quipping: "No [there is no truth in that]. On the bench was Tanguy, Sessegnon, Toby, Vertonghen, Gedson and they didn't play. That's football. For me there's nothing.
"I had attacking players on the bench, Lamela and Bergwijn. Two great players to bring on and then Winks to give us more consistency.
"You know, it's not just him. I try to do the best for my team. I cannot start the game with 12 or 13 players, I try to do the best for the team...I felt for these two matches [United and West Ham] I didn't need him."
The Portuguese boss is said to have high hopes for Ndombele's long-term future at the club and has constantly insisted he's trying to work with the player to get the very best out of him.
Mourinho also recently praised the Frenchman for his application throughout the lengthy three-month hiatus.
A potential explanation for Ndombele's absences following the Premier League's resumption may be Mourinho's attempt to improve their defensive structure, or the 'defensive process' as he calls it.
Spurs may well have to shore up defensively before Ndombele is thrust back into the starting XI. However, the early signs indicate Mourinho's work on the training ground is paying off, conceding just once in total in the games against Manchester United and West Ham.
Source : 90min