<
>

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte sends Tanguy Ndombele warning: Must work harder

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has said midfielder Tanguy Ndombele must "work much more than the others" in order to have a successful career at the club.

Conte will be taking charge of his second Premier League game as Spurs boss against Leeds United on Sunday, having been appointed earlier this month to replace Nuno Espirito Santo, who was sacked after just 17 games in charge.

- Conte is so strict he's still nagging retired John Terry about his diet
- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
- Don't have ESPN? Get instant access

Ndombele is Spurs' record signing after he arrived in July 2019 in a £56.5 million deal with £8.5m in potential add-ons. However, the 24-year-old midfielder has had a mixed start to his career at the club.

"I have seen many managers struggle with his position," Conte said in a news conference on Friday.

"He has the quality. He has to understand it is a team and he has to play into the team. It is important to do what the position asks you to do. We are working very hard.

"He has to work much more than the others. He has talent but he has to put it into the team for the team, not for the single player. Every single player has to know what he has to do. If every player just runs around the pitch, it will be a mess."

Ndombele came off the bench in Conte's first game in charge away to Everton on Nov. 7 -- his seventh Premier League appearance this season.