Tottenham Hotspur could have another Mario Balotelli on their hands in midfield outcast and £55m man Tanguy Ndombele, according to Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Ndombele shunned...

Despite impressing in parts under former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, the Frenchman has failed to show much past those glimpses of his talent since he was brought in from Lyon in 2019.

Ndombele is thought to no longer be in Antonio Conte's plans at Spurs, alongside fellow outcasts Giovani Lo Celso, Sergio Reguilon and Harry Winks, as the quartet could certainly leave this summer.

The 25-year-old spent the second half of 2021/22 away from Premier League football on a temporary spell at former club Lyon, but the Ligue 1 giants decided against taking up the purchase option in the deal.

The Latest: Robinson critical of Ndombele...

Former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson fears that there are echoes of Mario Balotelli to Ndombele, whose application was criticised by the ex-England international.

Speaking to Football Insider, the Sky Sports pundit is fearful that the French midfielder could very well follow the same trajectory as the ex-Manchester City striker.

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When asked if Ndombele was in danger of becoming the next Balotelli, Robinson explained: “Yes, in a similar way.

"He is a top-quality player, there is no doubt about that. But his attitude and application are miles off.

“I don’t know the ins and outs but it cannot be a coincidence that every Tottenham manager has ousted him. He has been given many opportunities and has not taken any of them.

“There is a fundamental problem with his attitude and application. That is why he is where he is."

The Verdict: Correct call?

Like Balotelli, who has been involved in various controversies throughout his nomadic career, there is perhaps a danger of Ndombele not fully realising his vast potential if the Spurs midfielder doesn't revive his career in north London.

Robinson is not the first person to question the 25-year-old's attitude, with Mourinho also calling him out two years ago in this respect.

His ability is undisputed, with certain players in the England squad even calling him 'unplayable' according to West Ham star Declan Rice, but that talent is wasted on the fringes of any team.

Whoever takes a gamble and opts to swoop for Ndombele, the move may well be make-or-break for the player himself.