Tottenham Hotspur misfit Tanguy Ndombele may have a lifeline on the cards if Antonio Conte can be convinced as Paris Saint-Germain have offered the north London outfit Leandro Paredes in a straight swap deal, according to the Telegraph (subscription required).
The Telegraph report that Conte is adamant that Ndombele, who has started 10 of his meagre 16 appearances this season, is not in the first-team picture and must be moved on before the January transfer window closes.
It’s detailed that Ndombele cost Spurs a massive €60m when he arrived in the summer of 2019, but the north London outfit have nothing to show for as the central midfielder has endured lengthy spells out of the team and has always seemed disconnected from the club.
The Telegraph add that Conte is not keen on landing Paredes as part of the deal, as the sides continue to discuss options for the transfer.
Paredes too has failed to live up to his price tag but its easy to see why the club that Mauricio Pochettino currently manages would offer up a peripheral player.
Ending a disastrous spell with Spurs to head to the Ligue 1 powerhouses makes sense for Ndombele, who is a Parisian with dreams of playing for the Red and Blues, according to French journalist Julien Maynard.
Maynard adds that Pochettino has always been an admirer of the gifted but too often absent midfielder, even though he only worked with the Frenchman for a couple of months before he was sacked by Spurs.
Mauricio Pochettino a toujours apprécié le Français, qu’il a fait venir à Tottenham en 2019.
Fermé à l’idée de recruter Ndombélé par le passé, Leonardo semble désormais plus ouvert aux discussions.— Julien Maynard (@JulienMaynard) January 20, 2022
Ndombele has made just two appearances for Spurs since the turn of the year, both coming in domestic cup ties as it has become abundantly clear that Conte does not wish to call on the Frenchman.
Whilst Paredes, as a defensive midfielder may not suit what Conte needs for the team right now, some fans might question the fact that they’ve rejected a swap deal for a 27-year-old player who is no slouch – a description that seems to have been fixed to Ndombele far too much.
Of course a straight swap deal would’ve resigned Spurs to recouping no cash on Ndombele, but with his current lack of action for the side, it’s hard to see how they’ll land a better offer.