Antonio Conte has challenged Tanguy Ndombele to work for the team and not for himself ahead of a potential recall for the midfielder at home to Leeds on Sunday.
Spurs will be without Oliver Skipp due to suspension and it leaves the Italian with two options.
Either Harry Winks will return to the fold or Ndombele will get a chance alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg who is expected to recover from the leg injury he sustained against Everton two weeks ago.
Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Nuno Espirito Santo have all failed to get the best out of Tottenham’s record signing on a consistent basis since a summer move from Lyon two years ago for a reported fee of £55million.
Conte said of Ndombele: “Yeah, I have seen that many managers struggle about this situation, about the position. For sure Tanguy has the quality.
“At the same time he has to understand that there is a team and he has to play into the team. I think it means that it is important to keep order and to do what the position asks you to do.
“For sure with Tanguy we are working. We are working very hard. He has to work much more than the others, because he has talent but he has to put this talent into the team for the best of the team, not for the single player.
“In my football I have an idea and in this idea there are tasks for the players. Every single player has to know what he has to do. Otherwise if every player just goes and runs around the pitch, I think it will be a mess.”
