Tottenham Hotspur close in on £65m club record signing: How they might line up with him

Tanguy Ndombele is on the verge of officially signing with the Champions League finalists Tottenham Hotspur, who haven’t spent a single dime for over a year now.

According to a report from the Sky Sports, the Lilywhites have matched Lyon’s asking price of £65 million for the 22-year-old midfielder who will sign a five-year deal.

The French International will sign for a club record fee after undergoing a medical in the next few days, the report adds.

The 22-year-old managed 3 goals and 8 assists in 49 appearances for the Ligue 1 club across all competitions in the recently concluded campaign, establishing himself as one of the bright young midfielders across Europe.

Let’s have a look at how Ndombele will fit in the Spurs starting lineup, and what will he bring to the north London.

Formation: 4-2-3-1

This seems like the system Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino will deploy next season seeing a huge sum splashed on Ndombele who flourished in a similar set up at Lyon under manager Bruno Genesio.

The 22-year-old is a dynamic midfielder and possesses excellent dribbling and passing skills. In a double pivot alongside Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko or Victor Wanyama, the French International will enjoy the freedom to maraud up and down the pitch.

This will exploit Ndombele’s attacking potential, posing a serious threat to the opposition in the final third.

Formation: 5-3-2

Spurs could also line up with three at the back as they have done on so many occasions under Pochettino. Ndombele can feature both as a deep-lying playmaker or on the right side of the three-man midfield. 

The quality options in the midfield will allow Pochettino to choose a suitable role for the Frenchman depending on his tactics and the quality of the opposition in front of him.

Formation: 4-3-3

The Argentine manager can use the Frenchman’s versatility and could set up the three-man midfield at the centre of the park. This remains highly flexible with the personnel Pochettino has at his disposal, and it can be changed to a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-4-2 diamond shape over the course of 90 minutes.

However, the future of Spurs star midfielder Christian Eriksen and the further signings in the summer could play a significant role in how Spurs set up with this particular formation.

Stat Courtesy: Transfermarkt