Like with any managerial change, the arrival of Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur has offered the potential of a fresh start for those at N17, with there a chance for all members of the first-team squad to stake their claim for a regular role under the new regime.
According to reports in France, one man whom the new boss could look to bring in from out in the cold is £63m man, Tanguy Ndombele, with the mercurial Frenchman having spent the last 18 months on loan at Lyon and Napoli, respectively.
As per L'Equipe, (via Sports Witness) the belief is that Postecoglou instructed the Lilywhites to reject a €20m (£17m) offer from the Serie A champions for the midfielder, with the 57-year-old potentially set to find a space for the 5 foot 11 ace in his side next term having been a 'long-time admirer' of the playmaker.
With Ndombele now back in pre-season, the 26-year-old has the chance to showcase why he deserves to be handed a show of faith from the ex-Celtic boss, albeit with it yet to be seen if the seven-cap international warrants another chance to impress in north London, following his minimal impact over the last four years.
As pundit Darren Bent previously stated, "it's just not worked out" for the £200k-per-week asset in a Spurs shirt to date, hence why it could be a bold call for Postecoglou to give him yet another opportunity ahead of next season.
Perhaps instead of looking to Ndombele as a midfield solution in his 4-3-3 formation next term, the one-time Australian head coach could instead look to the transfer market in order to find a better alternative, with Hoops star Reo Hatate a player whom the experienced tactician is certainly familiar with.
As per a previous report from the Daily Mail, the Japanese international is believed to be being monitored by Spurs ahead of a possible summer move, with the 25-year-old having sparkled under Postecoglou at Parkhead over the last 18 months or so.
There may be a case to make that rather than taking a gamble on Ndombele, the Greek-Aussie could recruit a player who has already blossomed under his tutelage…
Who is Reo Hatate?
Described as the "Japanese Luka Modric" by one Athletic employee, Hatate has been a standout figure for the Old Firm outfit since signing on a £1.4m deal back in January 2022, having scored 13 goals and laid on 14 assists in 66 games in all competitions – a better record than Ndombele has enjoyed at Spurs (nine goals and ten assists in 91 games).
Lauded as a "beast" in the centre of the park by journalist Sacha Pisani, the 5 foot 8 maestro has caught the eye due to his all-action and tireless displays for the Scottish champions, with pundit Alan Hutton praising the £12k-per-week man as a player who is "everywhere" on the pitch.
The same can seemingly not be said of Ndombele, however, with the fleet-footed enigma having been described as a "disgrace" in the past by Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher due to his lack of effort off the ball.
In Serie A last term, the Frenchman notably averaged just 0.7 tackles and interceptions per game from his 30 league outings, while also laying on just one goal contribution, while Hatate, by contrast, was far more impressive at both ends of the pitch, having averaged 1.8 tackles and interceptions per game from his 32 Scottish Premiership appearances, while contributing 14 goals and assists.
While it may not be easy for the latter man to replicate that form in the Premier League, it may be worth the risk for a player whom Postecoglou knows all about, rather than potentially making an ill-judged decision to rely on a player who has largely been unreliable in north London to date, in the form of Ndombele.
