Tottenham Hotspur could ‘boost transfer funds’ with £26m windfall from on loan midfielder

Tottenham Hotspur’s slender Premier League title chances took a hit last night as they lost 2-0 to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Antonio Conte’s side remain third in the table and four points behind league leaders and North London rivals Arsenal but the Gunners, as well as defending Champions Manchester City who sit second, now have a game in hand. If Spurs do aim to keep pace with the current top two after the World Cup break then that could mean dipping back into the transfer market in January. Despite spending big and bringing in several new players in the summer, there could be a boost to the Italian’s budget if they can secure a financial windfall by selling one of their players who is currently out on loan.

According to the Express, Tottenham could receive £26 million for midfielder Tanguy Ndombele if Napoli opt to make his short term deal a permanent one either in January or in the summer - something that is looking increasingly likely as 25-year old starts to find regular game time at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Spurs signed the Frenchman for a club record fee of £55 million in July 2019 but he began struggling for regular game time by the 2020/21 campaign and was sent out on loan to Ligue 1 side Lyon, where he was originally signed from, for the second half of that season.

After returning from his native France, Ndombele was allowed to leave on loan again in the summer and completed a season long move to Serie A. Although the former Amiens star initially struggled for game time in Naples, being used mainly off the bench, he has started in the last two league matches for Napoli - wins over Cremonese and Bologna. Although it would benefit Spurs for the Italian side to activate his buyout clause in January, they may not be under any pressure to do so until the summer if they do make the decision to try and keep the French international.

Ndombele’s run in the first team at Napoli comes at the perfect time for the midfielder who could yet force his way back into the France squad for the FIFA World Cup finals next month. The 25-year old currently has seven caps to his name, having first played for his nation in 2018.