Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti was far from pleased with Tanguy Ndombele's efforts in the aftermath of their 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan.
Ndombele, who joined the Serie A league leaders last summer on a season-long loan from Spurs, has impressed since arriving in Naples, making 19 appearances in all competitions.
After struggling to live up to his club-record £55 million fee in North London, it finally looks like the 26-year-old has rediscovered some much-needed form.
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But after a promising start to life with the Italian club, it appears there might have been a slight bump in the road this week, when he was involved in a heated conversation with manager Luciano Spalletti.
The Serie A leaders, who are currently five points clear of second place AC Milan, dropped points at the San Siro against Inter Milan on Wednesday as Edin Dzeko scored the winner.
And after the full-time whistle, Spalletti walked over to Spurs loanee Ndombele and confronted the player in front of thousands in attendance.
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In fact, he can clearly be heard saying: "Why you stay there?" in the below footage.
Ndombele appeared to answer back to his manager before turning his back on Spalletti – a moment that sparked plenty of reaction from fans online.
One Spurs fan said: "It’s not looking good for selling him permanently," while another commented: "I don't think Napoli will be making Tanguy Ndombele's deal permanent..."
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A third said: "Spalletti was wrong to blast my baller like this infront of millions of viewers."
Despite fans speculating about his future at Napoli, reports suggest the Italian side will make a permanent move for the player.
Foot Mercato claim officials at Napoli will meet with Tottenham counterparts in the coming days for discussions, and they are confident about getting a cut-price deal.
A fee of around £22.5 million has been touted, which would be a hefty loss on their club-record investment from Lyon. He is currently contracted at Spurs until 2025.
Paolo Di Canio, who played for Napoli in the 90's, wasn't exactly complimentary about Ndombele back in September.
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"I will just say if Spalletti performs a miracle with Ndombele, I’ll take my hat off to him and give him my compliments," he told Mattino.
“This lad is really not accustomed to sacrificing himself for the team with work when he’s off the ball. I don’t expect Spalletti to get Ndombele to walk on water, but if he at least manages to get him swimming, it’d be an extraordinary success.”
Thoughts on Ndombele?
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Featured Image Credit: BT SportTopics: Tottenham Hotspur, Napoli, Serie A, Premier League
