A striker Tottenham signed to help Harry Kane nine years ago is now a free agent with a transfer value of just £800,000. Clinton N’Jie arrived in north London back in 2015 and looked set to play a significant role in the Premier League, but it never really worked out for him.
The Cameroon international joined from Lyon in a deal worth £12million, which included an upfront transfer fee in the region of £10m. He was described as a ‘very good’ player by then-manager Mauricio Pochettino just weeks before his move to Tottenham was confirmed.
“If you ask me if I know N’Jie? Yes, I know N’Jie,” said Pochettino. “He is a player who can play in different positions. He is fast. He is a very good player who can play in different positions.”
N’Jie failed to hit the ground running at Spurs and did not start a Premier League match under Pochettino, coming off the bench on eight occasions. His main contribution was a single assist, setting up Erik Lamela in a thumping 4-1 win against Manchester City.
He started twice in the Europa League and came off the bench three times, while he also played in a defeat to Arsenal in the League Cup. N’Jie revealed after joining Tottenham that his agent was approached by the Gunners but his heart was set on a move to White Hart Lane.
“I was never scared that my transfer to Tottenham would not be confirmed,” he said. “I never spoke to Arsenal representatives on the phone, they simply contacted my agent. My choice was made, I was determined to join Tottenham.”
N’Jie’s hopes of making it at Spurs were dealt a frustrating blow in 2016, when a knee injury kept him out of action for around three months. He was shipped out to Marseille on loan the following season before the move was made permanent a year later.
After leaving Tottenham, N’Jie revealed that he struggled to cope with the criticism of his performances during his first season in the Premier League.
“All I needed was time to play and I passed a year in Tottenham, not an easy one,” he admitted. “So when the criticism started we had a discussion. We were just looking for the best for me. For the moment I am in Marseille and happy to be here, and at the end of this season we will decide what is best for me.”
N’Jie later had spells at Dynamo Moscow and Turkish outfit Sivasspor but has been a free agent since the end of last season. He celebrated his 31st birthday earlier this month and now has an estimated transfer value of just £800,000, according to Transfermarkt.
