Ndombele needs to be a team player: Conte

LONDON • Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has challenged Tanguy Ndombele to prove he can put his own interests aside and become more of a team player, as the France midfielder eyes a recall against Leeds today.

The Italian will be without Oliver Skipp, who has started nine English Premier League games this season, due to suspension.

With Harry Winks only making two appearances in the top flight this season and seemingly out of favour, Ndombele is likely to step into the central midfield role alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. But since arriving in 2019 for £56 million (S$102.5 million), the 24-year-old's form has been wildly inconsistent.

He was a headache under former bosses Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Nuno Espirito Santo and has been benched several times this season.

Now Conte has to find a way to get the best out of the club's record signing, who has become a target for frustrated fans since moving from Lyon.

"I have seen that many managers struggle about this situation, about the position. For sure, Tanguy has the quality," the former Chelsea boss said ahead of today's game.

"At the same time, he has to understand that there is a team and he has to play into the team. I think it means that it is important to keep order and to do what the position asks you to do.

"For sure with Tanguy, we are working. He has to work much more than the others, because he has talent but he has to put this talent into the team for the best of the team, not for the single player."

Conte was hired earlier this month following Nuno's dismissal after just 10 league games in charge. The former Inter Milan coach has a reputation as a tough taskmaster on the training ground and before his first league home game as Spurs manager, Conte made it clear that Ndombele would have to adapt to his demands if he wanted to be part of the first-team picture.

"In my football, I have an idea and in this idea, there are tasks for the players," he said. "Every single player has to know what he has to do. Otherwise, if every player just goes and runs around the pitch, it'll be a mess."

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