In the summer of 2016, as the transfer window was drawing to a close, Tottenham Hotspur closed a last minute deal to sign Moussa Sissoko for a reported fee of £30million. Sissoko, a French international with 50 caps to his name, has done very little to justify his hefty price tag. The Frenchman moved to the Premier League in 2013, when Alan Pardew signed him at Newcastle United from Toulouse. During his stint at St.James’ Park, he gained a name for himself as a tireless midfielder who could produce scintillating runs into the opposition box. He made over 100 appearances for Newcastle before relocating to North London in 2016, following Newcastle United’s relegation to the Championship. Rafa Benitez made sure that he didn’t let Spurs have an easy deal with Sissoko, demanding a huge transfer fee, which he eventually received.
The White Hart Lane faithful are less than impressed with Sissoko’s first season for the club. A lot was expected of him and his performances haven’t been at the level the fans and manager desired it to be. He has not started in the Premier League since October, and has been relegated to the bench, with Pochettino openly admitting in a presser on November 28 that Sissoko had to “work harder in training and show that he is better than the other players”.
With a less than average rapport with both the fans and the manager at Spurs, Sissoko is reportedly looking for alternate clubs to switch to. Le10 Sport reported on Tuesday that Sissoko was seen having a long conversation with Basile Boli during Marseille’s 0-0 draw against Toulouse last week. Basile Boli is a respected former French international, who is widely remembered for scoring the winning goal for Marseille in the Champions League final against AC Milan in 1993.
Sissoko emerged as a regular fixture in the national side post-2012. Since his move to North London, his place in the national side is under threat, considering Kante’s meteoric rise to the pinnacle of English Football. If he is to keep himself in contention for a spot in the side, he will need regular starts, and that is what a potential move to Marseille could provide him with. A move to France could well be what both Spurs and Sissoko need.
