Spurs flop becomes their biggest waste since Ndombele

Spending big money in the transfer market is an integral part of the modern game and is necessary to contribute to different levels of success.

Tottenham Hotspur have given an insight into their spending in recent times, with the hierarchy spending more than £400 million in the last three years alone.

However, big spending doesn’t necessarily equal success, with their latest investment in Xavi Simons appearing to be one that has struggled to reach the heights many expected.

The board shelled out around £52 million for the Dutchman’s signature, but he has recorded just one assist in his first eight outings in all competitions.

It may only be the early days of his time in north London, but the 22-year-old desperately needs to get back to his best form to avoid being branded a failure by fans.

If Simons is unable to do so, he could be placed in the same category as a player who failed to deliver on his promises during his own spell in the Premier League.

The finances behind Tanguy Ndombele’s failure at Spurs

In the summer of 2019, excitement was at an all-time high at Spurs, after the hierarchy shelled out a record £63million for the signing of midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.

The Frenchman joined Lyon with the real hope of taking the first team to the next level – which is understandable given the nature of the transfer fee.

He signed a five-year contract for a staggering £200,000 per week, but such a deal would prove to be one of the worst in the club’s history due to the astronomical figures involved, coupled with his lack of impact.

Combining the total spent on his signing and the wages the hierarchy paid him, such a deal ended up costing £104.2million, with the breakdown of that cost highlighting just how much money they wasted.

Ndombele made just 91 appearances for the Lilywhites during his five years in England’s top flight – which equates to a staggering £1.1 million per appearance he made in north London.

He also scored just 10 goals and registered nine assists, with a total of 19 goal contributions, which saw the club shell out a total of £5.4 million per contribution he made.

To cap off his sad fate in north London, the 28-year-old would leave on a free transfer in the summer of 2024 – further demonstrating how much money they wasted on his signature.

The Spurs player who could become as big a waste as Ndombele

Now Thomas Frank has the opportunity to break new ground for Spurs and build on the Europa League triumph at the end of last season.

As previously mentioned, Simons was brought into the club to provide a needed boost in the final third, with Mohammed Kudus another player to move to north London.

The hierarchy forked out £55 million for the Ghanaian’s signature, a considerable figure, but one that looks profitable given his immediate form in 2025/26.

He currently has one goal and four assists in all competitions, currently boasting the highest total of any first-team player.

The same cannot be said of his compatriot Wilson Odobert, with the Frenchman ultimately struggling to match the enthusiasm generated by his arrival last summer.

His move to join the Lilywhites came out of nowhere, as the board paid £25million for his signature after Burnley were relegated to the Championship at the end of 2023/24.

Injuries have plagued him massively in 2024/25, with the 20-year-old limited to 21 appearances in all competitions – scoring just one Premier League goal in the process.

However, the arrival of Frank could have given Odobert a new lease of life in this campaign, but he has so far been unable to seize the initiative with both hands.

He has already made 10 appearances in 2025/26, but has so far been unable to score a single goal or contribute in any competition, with his underlying statistics further highlighting his lack of positive impact.

The former Burnley star completed just 0.5 crosses per 90, while completing just 52% of the dribbles he attempted – often being unable to beat opposition defenders with the ball at his feet.

Odobert has also been wasteful in front of goal, only managing 28% of his shots on target to date – no doubt contributing to his disappointing return to the final third.

At 20, there is still plenty of time for him to improve, but it is unclear whether he will be able to do so in north London given the pressure on his shoulders.

He has been tasked with replacing Heung-min Son this campaign, so far to no avail, with such a deal a waste of money if he fails to find the form which has seen the club spend big money on his signature.