Tottenham Hotspur fans had their hopes up for a third blockbuster attacking signing this summer transfer window after the swoop for the Manchester City duo of Omar Marmoush and Savio. Even though Cody Gakpo started to look like a long shot, there was still optimism that Roberto De Zerbi and Johan Lange would land a big fish, as Spurs were closing in on an affordable 60 million pound move for Everton star Iliman Ndiaye with Richarlison moving back to the Merseyside for 35 million pounds in return.
Instead, Richy threw a tantrum, blocked the deal understandably because of the wages, and Tottenham were stuck pivoting for a loan move for Chelsea wantaway left winger Mykhaylo Mudryk - an old favorite of De Zerbi's from his days coaching Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukraine.
Ndiaye not coming to Tottenham and Mudryk moving to North London on loan instead is a huge blow for many Spurs fans, who had thought Ndiaye would be a dynamic option to potentially start on the left wing and add more depth for a team that just watched Mathys Tel throw away a key game against Newcastle United with a surprising disaster class off the left.
James Maddison won't have to face more competition
But one person who will quietly like the fact that Tottenham Hotspur did not get the Ndiaye deal over the line is injured No. 10 James Maddison. The Tottenham attacking midfielder will be back in a matter of weeks, and while Iliman Ndiaye is more of a left winger or even right winger than a 10, he occupied a lot of central spaces at Everton and has played in the attacking midfield, too.
Tottenham could have thus taken some of Maddison's precious minutes as the No. 10 by giving them to Ndiaye if they would have signed the Senegalese international from Everton, but now that the deall has fallen through, Maddison's only competition is Conor Gallagher - and with Mateus Fernandes starting over him as the 10, that's not really competition for Madders at this point.
James Maddison has been a frustrating case after the ACL tear, and Tottenham fans are really hoping the veteran leader can come back to full strength from this shoulder dislocation and finally be 100 percent every week. Tottenham wil be a much better team with Maddison's playmaking, and now he doesn't have to worry about competing with Ndiaye's fleet feet for those minutes to shine under Roberto De Zerbi.
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