produce “sombrero” flicks over
opponents’ heads – Ndombele has
always been reserved. At times, his
timid nature has worked against
him. “People could think he was
arrogant,” says Bayokila. “He is not
the kind of person who would mix
with people. He would not go and
speak to everybody.”
In his home town, there is an
affection towards Ndombele and
an overwhelming sense of pride at
his rise since he left Epinay-sous-
Senart. “We only have football
here,” says Bayokila. “Football is
the escape. When I saw him in the
French team, I was almost crying.”
From FC d’Epinay Athletico,
Ndombele first travelled to
Linas-Montlhery at the age of 12.
He played with a higher year group
and essentially trailed most of his
team-mates by two years because
of his December birthday. In
pictures of the squad from the
time, Ndombele is dwarfed, both
in height and width, by some of
his friends.
He was good, though, and
those physical disadvantages
only helped him to develop
his technical ability. “That
is what made the
difference,” says
Baaroun. “That is
why he exploded
very late. As soon
as he grew up like
everyone else, he
was better than
everyone. I knew
that at one time
or another, he
would explode.”
Incidentally, those two years at
Linas-Montlhery have ensured that
the club will receive €350,000
(£322,000) of the transfer fee paid
to Lyon. The money will pay for a
renovation of the same changing
rooms where Ndombele was once
told he was too fat to make it as a
top-level player.
Guingamp, in Brittany, liked
what they saw of Ndombele, who
impressed with his desire to play
the ball forward, and signed him to
their academy when he was 14. As
always, he was one of the more
reserved of the young players,
exuding an air of nonchalance that
was not always appreciated by the
coaching staff.
He formed a close friendship
with James Lea Siliki, who now
plays for Rennes. “We made little
mistakes, like everyone else,” Lea
Siliki told Ouest France last year.
“Sometimes we went to get pizza
in secret when we did not finish
our meal.”
Those late-night carbs, and that
laid-back attitude, did not work in
Ndombele’s favour when
Guingamp decided against
awarding him with a professional
contract. He dropped down to
Amiens but kept looking for a
top-level club. He could not find
one, and soon he was hit by that
second rejection as Amiens
showed him the door. “Here we
see the incompetence of the clubs,”
says Baaroun, fiercely loyal to his
friend. “The weight is not a
handicap. Talent is what is
important.
“As long as you see the boy’s
talent and mentality, the weight
should not be a problem. But
apparently for professional clubs
in France, it is a problem. They
want you to bring them a player
shaped like Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Angers, Auxerre and Caen all
turned him down.“They must regret it, these
clubs,” says Baaroun.
After that self-imposed boot
camp in Montlhery and his return
to Amiens, Ndombele began to
develop at a startling rate. He
became a first-team regular in
2016, helping the club to win
promotion to Ligue 1 and earning
himself a loan move to Lyon. He
made 50 appearances in his first
season before signing on a
permanent deal in 2018.
At Lyon, he has impressed with
his dynamism and creativity. His
dribbling ability, outstanding for
a central midfielder, is crucial to
his game and it is telling that
Ndombele had the best dribble
success rate of any player who
completed more than 50 dribbles
in Ligue 1 last season. There are
plenty of similarities to the
departed Mousa Dembele, but
Ndombele offers far more in the
final third of the pitch.
His passing should allow
Tottenham’s forwards to thrive
and in his time as a professional
he has become far more
conscious of his defensive duties
than he ever was as a teenager.
“He is strong physically and,
above all, technically,” said Bruno
Genesio, Ndombele’s manager at
Lyon this year.
“With the first touch, he
manages to pass even three
players, and when he starts he is
difficult to stop. He is precisewith his passing and he has a nice
dribble.”
It was little surprise when
Ndombele received his first
France cap, in October last year,
and even the most casual
observers knew he would be on
the move from Lyon soon
enough. Ever since making his
breakthrough at Amiens,
Ndombele has surpassed every
expectation and cleared every
hurdle. As Baaroun says, it has
been an “explosion” of talent, and
the frightening truth for
Tottenham’s opponents is that
Ndombele has shown no signs of
losing momentum.
Mauricio Pochettino, for his
part, has called for patience. “We
need to accept he needs time to
adapt to a new culture, a new
country, new habits,” the
Tottenham manager said. “Of
course, it is only him who arrived
to the club and that makes it more
difficult. He is open to improving
and learning but needs time
[until we] see the best version of
him.”
It is an understandable
approach to take with a player
who has arrived to such fanfare.
Ndombele, though, has always
believed he was destined for this
stage. The chubby introvert,
sneered at by so many top clubs,
has pushed forward to become
one of Europe’s most exciting
midfielders. He will not stop now.London calling:
Tottenham have
broken their
transfer record to
sign Tanguy
Ndombele, whose
career started at
Linas-Montlhery
(inset left, circled,
and below left)‘The
stand
was
full of
people
who
came to
see him
play as
a child’
Rapid rise to the top
Tanguy
Ndombele’s
senior club
career:
2016-2018
Amiens,
31 apps
2017-2018
Lyon (loan),
43 apps
2018-2019Lyon, 42 apps
2019 SpursInternational
career:
2017-2018
France
Under-21,
11 apps
2018 France,
6 appsproduce “somb
opponents’ hea
always been res
timid nature ha
him. “People co
arrogant,” says B
the kind of pers
with people. He
speak to everybo
In his home to
affection toward
an overwhelmin
his rise since he
Senart. “We only
here,” says Bayok
the escape. When
French team, Iw
From FC d’Epin
Ndombele first tr
Linas-Montlhery
He played with ah
and essentially tra
team-mates by tw
ofo his December b
pipictures of the squ
tititme, Ndombele
inin height and wi
hhis friends.
He was good
ththose physical
oonly helped
hihisstechni
isisi wwhat
didiffer
BBaar
whwy
vver
asas
evee
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eveve
ththt
oor
w
Incidentally, those
Linas-Montlhery hav
the club will receive
(£322,000) of the tran
to Lyon. The moneyw
renovation of the sam
rooms where Ndomb
told he was too fat tom
top-level player.
Guingamp, in Britta
what they saw of Ndom
impressed with his de
the ball forward, and s
their academy whenh
always, he was one of t
reserved of the young
exuding an air of nonc
was not always appreci
coaching staff.
He formed a close fri
with James Lea Siliki,w
plays for Rennes. “We m
mistakes, like everyone
Siliki told Ouest France
“Sometimes we went to
in secret when we did n
our meal.”
Those late-night carb
laid-back attitude, did no
Ndombele’s favour when
Guingamp decided again
awarding him with a pro
contract. He dropped do
Amiens but kept looking
top-level club. He couldn
one, and soon he was hit
second rejection as Amie
showed him the door. “H
see the incompetence of t
says Baaroun, fiercely loy
friend. “The weight is not
handicap. Talent is whati
important.
“As long as you see the b
talent and mentality, the w
should not be a problem.B
apparently for professiona
in France, it is a problem. T
want you to bring them ap
shaped like Cristiano Rona
Angers, Auxerre and Caen
turned him down.London calling:
Tottenham have
broken their
transfer recordto
sign Tanguy
Ndombele, whose
career started at
Linas-Montlhery
(inset left, circled,
and below left)‘The
stand
was
full of
people
who
came to
see him
play as
a child’
The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 7 August 2019 ** 11
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