Sissoko demands clear the air talks over Tottenham future

Moussa Sissoko: Will miss CSKA clash

Moussa Sissoko: Believes he's getting up to speed

Moussa Sissoko has demanded showdown talks with Mauricio Pochettino after describing his year at Tottenham as the ‘worst of his professional career’.

The midfielder joined Tottenham on transfer deadline day last summer in a £30million deal from Newcastle on the back of some excellent performances for France at Euro 2016.

However, the transfer has not worked out as planned, with Sissoko making just eight starts in the Premier League and failing to score.

Sissoko was also branded Spurs’ worst signing of the Premier League era in this feature we ran last month.

The player has since been linked with a move to Marseille and although the move was played down, Sissoko wants to know what his future holds at Spurs, with his agent planning talks with both Pochettino and France coach Didier Deschamps.

Sissoko told L’Equipe: “I am expecting an honest conversation to know what they want to do, how they see the future with me. From there, everything will be clearer in my head.

“They know I am 28 years old, that I am no longer a kid and I have a World Cup I want to go to. If I am to leave, I hope they won’t pose any problems.

“There is always a bit of hope that it goes better next season. Today, to leave or stay, nothing has been really decided. I am also going to speak to the national coach. He usually gives good advice.

“He knows me very well – his opinion will count. We are not sure about anything. Once again, what I want above all is that everything is clear.

“If the coach no longer counts on me, if he thinks the other players there are better, it is good that he says so. The idea is to know very early to allow – if I have to leave – so my agent can get to work.”

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With a World Cup in Russia on the agenda next summer, Sissoko knows he needs to be playing regularly to have any chance of making France’s squad next summer.

“I have fallen from high,” he admitted. “Even if I never said to myself that I would play every game, I was not expecting to play so little. It is the worst season of my career while as a team, it has certainly been the best. It is bizarre.

Moussa Sissoko: Has been a major disappointment

“We are going to speak with my agent to find the best solution. My aim is to make the 2018 World Cup. If I have another season like this one, even if the national coach appreciates me, it will be logical that I don’t make it.

“It was not a mistake (to come to Spurs). I arrived in a very big club where there was not a lot of movement last summer. I took the game time 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 he maybe wasn’t wrong, but personally, I hoped for better.”