Jose Mourinho says the time has come for Tottenham record-signing Tanguy Ndombele to step up but admitted the midfielder is still not ready for 90 minutes against Southampton tonight.
Ndombele set up Heung-min Son's goal in a lively 20-minute cameo in Sunday's 2-0 win over Manchester City, his first appearance since hobbling off with a hip injury at St. Mary's on New Year's Day.
Mourinho has been left frustrated by the £53.8million signing's fitness problems but revealed he could start tonight's FA Cup third-round replay ahead of Dele Alli, who will have a fitness test on an ankle problem after Raheem Sterling's reckless challenge on Sunday .
"He didn't have a proper pre-season, then he had injuries in Mauricio's time and then I arrived and he has had injuries again," Mourinho said of Ndombele, who has completed 90 minutes just once since August.
"Not big things but small things which stop him and break his evolution. He played with me the first match against Norwich and it was the only match where he played for 90 [with me]. Then he breaks again.
"We are trying to give him the best possible condition to not have another stop.
"We are taking care of him at every level. We did a 'global programme' with him to try to take care of him. We are talking about his work with the group, his individual work, his sports science, his nutrition, everything. It's like a full package to try to give him the best condition.
"He played well when he came on [against City]. He is not with [injury] problems now, he is training normally and now it is time, instead of playing 15 or 20 minutes, to play more. So, yes [it is time for him to step up].
"He is a player with amazing quality. I don't think he can play 90 minutes. Can he start, and we take him [off] later? Can we see how Dele Alli is? Let's see."
