Tanguy Ndombele believes he made the correct decision to terminate his contract at Tottenham and is seeking redemption with Ligue 1 side Nice.
The French midfielder left Spurs in June after agreeing to terminate his contract, despite having one year remaining on his deal.
Nice snatched up Ndombele less than a month later, and following a tough few years in football, the 27-year-old is looking to regain the form that secured him a move to north London in 2019.
Just three games into the season, Ndombele is already showing flashes of his talent once more, but his renaissance in France is only just beginning.
‘Returning to France was the right decision,’ Ndombele told Marca. ‘I am at a point in my career where I need to play.
Tanguy Ndombele (left) is seeking redemption with Nice after a poor 2023-24 at Galatasaray
The 27-year-old left Tottenham this summer after five years in which he played 91 matches
‘I have things to prove and, beyond playing well, I want to rediscover certain sensations.’
The midfielder made 91 appearances for Tottenham, scoring 10 goals and providing nine assists in his five years at the club.
However, after a bright start, Ndombele, who signed for £63million, was sent on a series of loans at his former club Lyon, Napoli, and Galatasaray.
His time in Turkey was a real low point in the midfielder’s career. He only managed 664 minutes of football in 26 appearances at the Istanbul-based side.
Ndombele was also famously involved in a major bust-up with manager Okan Buruk due to being more than six kilograms overweight.
He was reportedly caught swapping a strict diet for less nutritionally beneficial foods such as hamburgers and chips.
However, Ndombele has shed much of that weight while at Nice and is convinced he can return to form once more.
He added: ‘I’ve experienced some tough times, but that doesn’t mean I won’t play abroad again. I try to learn from the bad.
‘People forget that we’re human beings, we’re not robots. I may not be the player I was before, but I can be a good player.’
Ndombele was deemed overweight by Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk while on loan in Turkey
But Nice sporting director Florian Maurice is confident Ndombele can redsicover his best form
By re-joining Nice, Ndombele has reunited with sporting director Florian Maurice, who he knows from their time together at Lyon.
Maurice still has faith in Ndombele and is also optimistic that the midfielder will shine back in Ligue 1.
‘I’ve known him for a long time and I have confidence in him,’ said Maurice. ‘I know what he can and can’t do.
‘He needed a healthy environment to give his best. He’s not there yet, but he’s on the right track.’
