Tottenham release club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele from contract

MIDFIELDER TANGUY NDOMBELE has left Tottenham by mutual consent.

Ndombele joined Spurs in 2019 from Lyon as a club-record signing at the time in a deal which could have risen to £63million (€75m).

The seven-cap France international would not live up to expectations, however, and has departed Tottenham after only 91 appearances, with his last outing for the club back in 2022.

A six-year deal was signed by Ndombele upon his arrival in north London but he has spent the last three seasons out on loan.

Following a difficult debut campaign, where Ndombele made 29 appearances amid issues with form and fitness under both Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho, the Frenchman enjoyed a revival under the latter.

Ndombele produced a string of fine displays once football resumed after the coronavirus pandemic had paused the sport and was at his most consistent in the 2020-21 season with 10 goal involvements in 46 appearances.

But Mourinho’s dismissal sparked a downward cycle for the 27-year-old, who struggled for opportunities under Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte before he joined Lyon on loan at the start of 2022.

A temporary switch to Napoli followed next, where he played a bit-part role in their Serie A triumph, and despite being given a clean slate by current Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou last summer, he failed to take his chance.

Poor time-keeping issues, after an ankle injury in pre-season, saw Postecoglou give the green light for Ndombele to leave and despite being involved in another league title at Galatasaray, the Turkish club declined the option to sign the midfielder on a permanent basis.

It meant Ndombele was set for another summer return to England but an agreement has been reached to terminate the final 12 months of his big-money contract, with Tottenham happy to cut their losses with the Frenchman and continue the squad overhaul under Postecoglou.