Mauricio Pochettino revealed Moussa Sissoko was “close to going” from Tottenham when he was struggling for form and playing time but has since turned his career around with the Lilywhites and is now one of the first names on the teamsheet.
The 29-year-old joined Spurs from Newcastle United in 2016 and has gone on to make 91 appearances in all competitions. He hasn’t always been a regular under Pochettino, however, as he’d fallen victim to stiff competition in the midfielder previously.
Pochettino admitted there was a time when Sissoko came close to leaving the club but credited his hard work as the reason why he’s now indispensable. The French international was given a lot of chances by his manager and now his faith is being vindicated.
The Spurs boss said to the Independent: “That is the history of football, no? There are moments and circumstances when you take decisions. But football is so dynamic. You need to take decisions in every single moment. But this has not only happened to him.
“There are many players in football who were close to going and then come in like this. But good thing can happen if you are a professional like Moussa and keep pushing and working hard. Sometimes when you feel the pain you keep your head up, keep pushing and keep working hard, that is the only way to get through it.”
This season, Sissoko has made 10 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham, starting in each of their last five Premier League outings. It’s worth noting he’s lost just one league game from the total of seven he’s played in and has recently been recalled to the France national team as recognition for his efforts at club level.
The midfielder’s contract with Spurs has three more years to run and he’s finally proving to be a useless player in the squad. With Mousa Dembele’s future uncertain and Victor Wanyama having struggled with injuries, Sissoko may well step into the void if he can prove himself in a central role.