Over the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur haven’t been afraid to splash the cash, with the ownership handing various managers the tools to achieve success.
The Lilywhites have spent around £400m on new signings in the last four years, numerous of which have made a huge impact on their ability to create new history for the club.
Brennan Johnson is one of the players who arrived during such a period, with his £47.5m transfer fee now appearing to be an excellent piece of business, given his record in North London.
The Welshman netted 18 goals across all competitions last campaign, but undoubtedly his most important came in the Europa League final as he helped end the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy.
Despite the 24-year-old’s positive impact in the first-team, the same can’t be said for one player who fell way below the expectations placed upon him after his own big-money transfer.
Tanguy Ndombele’s failed spell at Spurs
In the summer of 2019, Spurs forked out a then club-record fee of £62m for the signature of midfielder Tanguy Ndombele from Ligue 1 outfit Lyon.
Such a move generated huge excitement amongst the fanbase, but it’s safe to say his time in North London was one of bitter disappointment, given his failure to impress.
He would feature a total of 91 times for the Lilywhites over a three-year period, spending two separate spells on loan at Napoli and Galatasaray before his contract was cut short - allowing him to depart on a free transfer in the summer of 2024.
Whilst he produced some moments of magic, including his superb effort against Sheffield United, he was unable to produce such levels on a regular basis - with concerns being voiced around his attitude and fitness.
His tally of 10 goals and nine assists highlight the lack of impact he had, with the hierarchy subsequently losing a small fortune on their investment - especially after he departed for nothing.
However, he’s not the only player to fall below the standards expected of him, with one current first-team player currently finding himself in a similar situation.
The Spurs player who’s becoming the biggest waste since Ndombele
Current boss Thomas Frank has made a solid start to his Spurs career so far, only losing one of his nine games in charge across all competitions in 2025/26.
The Dane has created a settled 4-3-3 side that has allowed them to make some major scalps, including a 2-0 triumph against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Etihad.
However, it hasn’t all been plain sailing, with the 51-year-old unable to secure a win against Norwegian outfit Bodo Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Lilywhites found themselves two goals down with just 24 minutes remaining, but managed to fight back to secure a 2-2 draw and maintain their unbeaten record in Europe this season.
Many players had an off night during the stalemate, but Richarlison once again continued to disappoint and was unable to shake off his recent poor form.
Despite netting three goals in his first six games this campaign, many supporters have become frustrated with the Brazilian, leading to criticism being directed his way.
In the last two games combined, he’s only managed a total of 30 touches combined, completing just seven passes - often unable to get himself into the game.
When in front of goal, the 28-year-old has also been just as dreadful, missing two big chances in as many games - leading to one analyst stating that he “offers nothing”.
To further highlight his lack of impact in North London, he’s only scored 23 times in his 100 appearances for the club, with departed fan-favourite Harry Kane managing to score over 100 goals for Bayern Munich since his transfer two years ago.
If the Brazilian joined in a bargain deal, the lack of impact wouldn’t be as concerning, but the hierarchy forked out £50m for his signature three years ago - with such a decision now looking like an awful one.
There’s no doubt he’s failed to live up to the hype in North London, but the hierarchy must look to offload him and replace him with a top-level player in the months ahead.
They desperately need to recoup a competitive fee for his services, subsequently avoiding losing him for nothing - just as they did with Ndombele a little over 12 months ago.