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Report: Ndombele says he won't play for Mourinho again

Tottenham Hotspur FC / Getty

The latest clash between Tanguy Ndombele and manager Jose Mourinho was the final straw for Tottenham Hotspur's club-record signing.

Ndombele has told Mourinho that he will never play for him again after the pair were involved in a confrontation during Monday's training session, ESPN's Julien Laurens reports.

The row between the two continued in the manager's office at Tottenham's training ground north London.

Ndombele - who became the most expensive player in Spurs history when he joined from Lyon last summer for €62 million (£55.45 million) - is understood to be frustrated by Mourinho's decision to leave him out of Tottenham's two matches since the season restarted. The French midfielder also tired of coming under attack - both privately and in the press - since Mourinho's arrival in November.

Despite reportedly following Mourinho's request to lose weight and continue training during the coronavirus lockdown, Ndombele was told he was not ready to start matches and that his performances in training have been subpar.

The situation is considered beyond repair, Laurens adds. The 23-year-old's representatives are believed to be trying to resolve the issue, but a meeting between Ndombele and Mourinho is unlikely.

Mourinho denied reports of a rift after Tottenham's victory over West Ham United on Tuesday, explaining his decision to exclude Ndombele and other unused players was based on tactical analysis.

"You know, it's not just him. I try to do the best for my team," Mourinho said, according to Sky Sports.

"Sometimes I apologize to my players that are not my first choice because I feel their work in training deserves something more than I give, but I have to do my job the best I can, and I felt for these two matches I didn't need him."

The fallout comes after Mourinho publicly criticized and demanded more from Ndombele in March after removing the midfielder at halftime during a draw against Burnley. It was the third time that Ndombele was replaced at halftime in a Premier League match this season. He's played the full 90 minutes just three times in 12 league appearances.

Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Barcelona could attempt to sign Ndombele if Spurs make him available, Laurens reports.

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