Tanguy Ndombele is set to take Prem by storm with Spurs… five years after he was told he was too FAT to make it in football

TANGUY NDOMBELE is set to become a big Premier League star — just five years after being told he had a fat chance of turning pro.

The France midfielder, 22, became Tottenham’s record signing when he joined from Lyon this summer in a deal worth £65million.

But his career was in tatters at 17 when he was thrown on the scrapheap for being overweight.

He was also accused of having a bad attitude and being unable to drag himself out of bed in the mornings.

Ndombele gets a bit of lie-in today before he lines up for Spurs in their showdown at champs Manchester City this evening.

It will be the latest chapter of his remarkable — and rapid — rags-to-riches story.

Born in the southern suburbs of Paris to parents of Congolese heritage, Ndombele moved away to Brittany as a teenager and joined the youth set-up at Guingamp — the club where Didier Drogba had honed his strike skills.

But after three years in their academy the midfield man failed to earn a professional contract and was released in 2014 — the same year that Mauricio Pochettino arrived at Tottenham.

Guingamp reserve boss Lionel Rouxel told : “He was a nice kid, and funny but he didn’t seem to care much in school.

“It wasn’t a case of his potential being questioned — he had a good mentality and was respectful — but he seemed to be lacking the awareness to reach a high level.

“He had a hard time waking up in the mornings, he was overweight and didn’t always present himself seriously.

“We were kind to him but we were tough and in the end we felt we had given him a chance.”

'WE EXPECTED MORE'

And his former captain Sullivan Martinet said: “What failed him I think, with hindsight, was his behaviour off the field.

“I think that we — his team-mates — were less talented, but we wanted it more than him.

“He was so strong that we expected more from him.”

A despondent Ndombele is alleged to have told pals: “Football is not for me.”

But he stayed in the game, joining Amiens where he spent two years in their reserves in the fifth tier of French football.

He made his senior breakthrough in 2016-17 and starred as the club were promoted from Ligue 2 as runners-up to Strasbourg.

He then joined Lyon on a year-long loan when he impressed on his debut campaign in Ligue 1.

After signing permanently in 2018 his second season was even better. No central midfielder registered more assists from open play in the France’s top flight than Ndombele.

His old Lyon coach Bruno Genesio — who left the French side in July for Chinese Super League club Beijing Sinobo Guoan — said: “He is strong physically and above all technically.

“With the first touch he manages to pass even three players and when he starts he is difficult to stop.
“He’s precise with his passing and has a nice dribble.

“I do not like comparisons but in fact Ndombele can be a new Paul Pogba.”

Ndombele has also been hailed as the new N’Golo Kante, lining up alongside the Chelsea midfielder for France as his growing talent received international recognition.

And Tottenham’s other Les Bleus stars Hugo Lloris and Moussa Sissoko were instrumental in the North Londoners landing their highly-rated countryman.

Spurs held off some major European and domestic rivals, including today’s opponents Manchester City, to snare their man.

Ndombele will have no fears about Pep Guardiola’s men after starring against them for Lyon in last season’s Champions League.

Tottenham’s record buy will also be buoyed by his stunning equaliser against Aston Villa last Saturday, which kick-started his new team’s comeback in their 3-1 opening day win.

Boss Pochettino has warned fans not to get too carried away with their new boy scoring start but there is already a lot of love for Ndombele in N17.

Not just from the stands but in the dressing room where Sissoko has been helping his Gallic chum settle at Spurs.
Ndombele has described his team-mate as: “My big brother.”

Fortunately for Tottenham it seems their recruit is not as big as he once was.

But if he lives up to his reputation he could add some serious weight to their title challenge this term.