Speaking to talkSPORT (02/09/20, 7:3o), via HITC, ex-Spurs winger Andros Townsend has tipped Daniel Levy to sell midfield star Tanguy Ndombele just one year after the club shelled out a transfer record-breaking £65 million fee - hinting he could stir up a toxic atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 

Ndombele, who started just 12 Premier League games last season, was largely overlooked by manager Jose Mourinho in the latter stages of the season especially - failing to start a single match after the lockdown period.

The Frenchman, currently one of the club's top earners on £200,000-per-week, has been linked with a move out of Spurs following his omission from the starting eleven - with an exclusive report from the Sun recently claiming he is on the transfer list alongside Serge Aurier and Juan Foyth.

Indeed, he has also not featured in any of the club's pre-season friendlies so far, and the arrival of ex-Southampton enforcer Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg potentially puts even more question marks around his future in north London.

Now, Townsend believes that boss Mourinho may have to sell Ndombele or face the production of a toxic environment due to the player's unhappiness.

“I have seen it before where the manager has publicly come out and criticised the player. If you keep that player in your squad after criticising him and it keeps festering," explained the winger to talkSPORT.

"He maybe speaks to his agent saying ‘I need to leave’. He speaks to the chairman saying ‘You spent all this money on me, I need to be playing’.

“It can end up on the player turning the chairman against the manager and maybe, in the end, getting the manager the sack. For Jose Mourinho, if he doesn’t fancy the player he has got to sell him for his own good.”

Even though Ndombele has been on the fringes of Spurs' plans recently, Mourinho has waxed lyrical over his past performances - once calling him 'absolutely phenomenal'.

As well as this, ex-gaffer Mauricio Pochettino certainly rated him, labelling his debut 'fantastic' after signing the ex-Lyon star - potentially highlighting the notion Ndombele's ability simply needs to be nurtured.

According to WhoScored, the 23-year-old even averages more completed dribbles than attacker Erik Lamela over his limited appearances, and attempting to sell the midfielder in this financial climate could mean giving him a chance is the club's best option.

Lilywhites, do you want Ndombele to leave? Give us your thoughts in the comment section below...