Premier League: 5 questions Tottenham Hotspur must answer in their last 9 matches

Tottenham question No. 4: Will Tanguy Ndombele survive at Spurs?

Mourinho’s midfield is crying out for a physical player to grab a place in the starting XI. Ndombele has the talent to thrive in Spurs’ current system, but questions about his physical fitness and mental toughness have plagued him since his arrival in North London.

The most recent reports regarding the French midfielder are encouraging. Football London claim that Mourinho has been “delighted” with his form as of late. He certainly looks to have shed a few pound. Theoretically, that will add to his mobility and stamina in the middle of the pitch.

The proof will be in the pudding for Ndombele once play begins anew. He can’t just be a passenger if he wants to cement his place in Tottenham’s starting XI moving forward. He needs to grab his opportunity and prove to Mourinho that he can be a fixture of his squad.

To do that, Ndombele needs to show a sharp increase in his work rate. He’s never going to be a classic defensive midfielder that sits back and shields the back four. Instead, Tottenham want him to be a box-to-box player who can bomb forward and make plays in attack as well.

If Ndombele can stand out for the next nine games then all of his previous struggles at Tottenham will be forgotten. If he looks out of sorts, then he could easily be sold off in the summer.