Tanguy Ndombele: I Joined Spurs Because Mauricio Pochettino Is 'One of the Best'

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele has revealed one of the key factors behind his decision to join the club this summer was the chance to work with manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Ndombele signed from Lyon for a club-record €60 million (£53.8 million) fee earlier in July, and it seems Pochettino played a vital role in his recruitment.

Per the Daily Mail's Adrian Kajumba, he said:

"What guided me was the Premier League, the top four in England, with a very good manager, who is going to help me to take steps forward.

"Tottenham have one of the best managers in the world. The fact that he wants you, it makes you want to come work with him. He was the one who shifted my decision.

"It is difficult to describe but he knows how to touch people, to leave a mark on people. He looked at me in the eyes and said: 'Come with me, I am sure that you will progress.'

"It is these types of little things that made me want to sign over there. I could see that he really, genuinely wanted me, that he genuinely liked me."

Pochettino is yet to win silverware as a manager, but he has guided Tottenham to four consecutive top-four Premier League finishes in his five years in charge.

Last season, Spurs reached the UEFA Champions League final despite failing to sign a single senior player the previous summer or in January, though they were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool.

Football commentator Jim Beglin praised Pochettino:

Spurs supporters have had much to thank the coach for, and if Ndombele lives up to his considerable potential, Pochettino's part in recruiting him will be added to the list.

The 22-year-old is often deployed as a holding midfielder, but he looks to get the ball forward and makes use of his strong technique and excellent distribution to do so.

His efforts earned him three goals and eight assists with Lyon in all competitions last season.

Scouted Football ran the rule over him, and Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe felt he was worth every penny:

Ndombele is already an excellent player, but he's at an age where he still has plenty of room to improve his game even further.

Pochettino has shown he can improve younger players over the course of his time with Tottenham—the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli are a testament to that—as well as more senior players like Moussa Sissoko.

If the manager can take Ndombele's game to another level in the coming years, he'll be an incredible asset.