Sissoko – ‘that was the worst season of my career’
BUT MIDFIELDER HAS NO REGRETS AT LEAVING TOON
MOUSSA Sissoko says that he has suffered the “worst season of his career” – but he does not think that leaving Newcastle was an error.
The ex-Newcastle midfielder left in a deal worth around £30m on transfer deadline day in 2016 and was hopeful of playing a big part in a team competing for both the Premier League and Champions League.
But he figured lightly and now admits that his future may be away from Tottenham, where he is seeking an “honest conversation” with Mauricio Pochettino.
Sissoko says he would prefer to stay in England and he has “not closed the door” on Everton, the club that he walked away from last season on deadline day.
He has even been linked with a return to Newcastle in the Italian media, although that is a non-starter.
Sissoko says that he did not make an “error” leaving Newcastle, even though he admits he hoped for “better”.
He told L’Equipe: “It was not an error. I arrived at a big club.
“There were no big movements last summer. I took the time to play that I was given, I tried to do my best but the coach relied on the same 11 as last year.
“The club finished second so it was perhaps not wrong, but personally I hoped better.”
Sissoko is hoping for first-team football next season with a World Cup on the horizon – and admits that the goodwill he generated from the Euros will not “last forever”.
“You can never be sure of anything. Once again, what I want is for everything to be clear.
“If the manager is no longer counting on me, if he thinks that other players are better, then he should say it.
“The idea is to be clear very early to allow, if I need to leave, for my agent to do good work.
“Even if everyone knows that I prefer England, I have never closed the door to any league. We will see what the offers are, but Ligue 1 continues to be attractive.
“We have seen this year with PSG and Monaco but also teams like Nice, Lyon and Marseille. We will analyse everything and try to make the best choice.”
There was also a thinly guarded dig at Pochettino. “I would like him to communicate better,” he said. “I want a completely honest conversation to see what they plan to do, what they are seeing in terms of my future. “From that moment on, everything will be clearer in my head.”
If the manager is no longer counting on me, if he thinks other players are better, then he should say it Moussa Sissoko