The 5 ways Pochettino can use £63m-rated Ndombele in Tottenham's starting XI

Tottenham Hotspur are pulling out all of the stops to bring Lyon midfielder Tanguy Ndombele to north London but where does he fit into the team?

The 22-year-old is one of Europe's most exciting young midfield prospects, with an all-round skill set, and has international and Champions League experience despite his age.

It is believed that Ndombele is keen on a move to Tottenham because on top of the above reasons, he is more likely to be a certain starter there than at other interested sides such as Manchester City, Juventus and Barcelona.

With it in mind that the Frenchman will start, here are five ways that Spurs could line up with him in Mauricio Pochettino's side, if he signs on the dotted line.

Three midfielders

Spurs could have a very dynamic midfield trio with Ndombele slotting in alongside Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko.

All three players are capable of driving forward with the ball and Winks and Ndombele can both pick out a pass.

The one downside to this blockbusting triple threat is that it leaves room for just two players to support Harry Kane up top.

The powerhouse and the playmaker

Another scenario is that Ndombele and Winks partner up in the middle. The Frenchman is certainly no slouch when it comes to passing ability but Winks would be the man in the deeper playmaker, quarterback role.

That would allow Ndombele to get up and down the pitch and use his passing and dribbling ability in more advanced areas but also place more emphasis on his ability to get back and defend. It would also allow Pochettino to pick three attacking midfielders to support him further up the pitch.

The double French pivot

It might not be Sissoko who misses out. What's to say Winks isn't the man who has to fight his way back into the team and it's the two French internationals who pair up in the middle.

Playing both Ndombele and Sissoko would certainly provide legs in the middle. The former would take on the Winks role of getting on the ball more and spreading the play, with Sissoko's style lending itself more to the running and breaking up role he currently holds.

It would free up Ndombele from some of his defensive duties, purely due to the sheer pitch coverage Sissoko manages.

The anchor in a diamond

Ndombele spent almost half of his matches for Lyon last season in a deep lying defensive midfield role.

He could perform the same role for Tottenham at the base of the diamond Pochettino occasionally likes to employ.

Ahead of him could either be Winks and Sissoko, or Eriksen and Alli in either role, with Alli, Lamela or Son, or a new signing, at the tip of the diamond behind Harry Kane and Lucas Moura or Son.

A whole new midfield partnership

If there's one thing Pochettino likes to do it's to change up his midfield engine room partnership. It's rarely if ever the same duo who play the bulk of the games from one season to the next.

Sometimes he changes both players in the partnership as was the case by necessity this season with the Winks and Sissoko pairing.

It wouldn't be a complete shock if Pochettino decided to do the same again next season, perhaps partnering Ndombele up with another newcomer such as Giovani Lo Celso. The Argentine can play in both a deeper role and more attacking one. If Christian Eriksen does stay then the Betis man, if he joins, could be a player who interchanges with the Dane from midfield.

First of all of course before any of the above can happen, Tottenham have to get one signing through the door, their first in 18 months, then Pochettino can start working out how to use him.