The Daniel Levy era at Tottenham Hotspur has been a rollercoaster, marked by years of mediocrity on the pitch and questionable decisions off it. While the club has recently focused on building for the future with signings like Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and highly-rated defender Luka Vuskovic, they have also wasted substantial sums on players who failed to deliver. Notable flops include £60m Richarlison, £25m Yves Bissouma, £25m Emerson Royal, and £55m Giovani Lo Celso. However, one of the most disastrous signings was Tanguy Ndombele.
Why Ndombele’s Spurs Move Was Such a Disaster
In July 2019, Levy broke Tottenham’s transfer record to sign Ndombele from Lyon for £55m. Seen as the ideal replacement for Mousa Dembele, the French midfielder arrived with high expectations. Known for his powerful runs, technical ability, and impact in both boxes, Ndombele had impressed at Lyon, scoring three goals and providing eight assists in the 2018/19 season. However, his time at Spurs was a letdown.
Across 91 appearances, he managed just 10 goals and nine assists. Injuries and a lack of discipline hindered his progress, with former manager Jose Mourinho criticizing his work ethic and stamina: "He didn’t have the discipline, the strength, or the stamina to be a midfield player." Training ground sources described him as a "maverick" with undeniable talent but a frustrating inability to master the basics. After failing to impress, Ndombele left Tottenham in June 2024 when his contract was terminated.
Spurs’ Worst Signing Since Ndombele
While signings like Richarlison, Lo Celso, and Bissouma have had mixed performances, none have flopped as hard as Timo Werner. The German forward initially joined on loan in January 2024, contributing two goals and three assists in 13 games. This led Spurs to extend his loan for the 2024/25 season, but it has been a poor decision. Werner has scored just once (in the Carabao Cup) and provided three Premier League assists.
His performances have been underwhelming, reaching a low point in an FA Cup match against non-league side Tamworth, where he was branded the "worst player on the pitch" by podcaster Will Reyner. Manager Ange Postecoglou also publicly criticized him after a poor showing against Rangers, calling his performance "not acceptable."
Former ESPN pundit Don Hutchinson labeled Werner a "weird" signing, and Tottenham are expected to pass on their £8.5m option to buy him this summer. Like Ndombele, Werner represents a failed experiment for Spurs, leaving fans frustrated and questioning the club’s recruitment strategy.
Conclusion:
Tottenham’s transfer dealings under Levy have been hit-and-miss, with Ndombele and Werner standing out as particularly costly failures. While the club has made strides in securing young talents for the future, their inability to get value from big-money signings continues to haunt them. With Werner set to return to RB Leipzig, Spurs must learn from these mistakes to avoid repeating them in the future.
