Tanguy Ndombele offered up just three words of English in his first public interview since joining Tottenham Hotspur.

The first two were 'very hard!' and delivered with a grin in answer to football.london's question about how he was finding Mauricio Pochettino's infamous double training sessions after his club record £63m move from Lyon this month.

For the rest of the interview, he had the help of Moussa Sissoko - who Harry Kane had told football.london the previous day had been acting like Ndombele's 'big brother' since he'd joined.

That much was clear from the first moment. Sissoko is a warm character and he and Spurs' new signing have struck up a close friendship despite their near eight-year age difference.

Sissoko, who turns 30 next month, was only too happy to act as translator and go between for the 22-year-old.

On those Pochettino double training sessions, the pair laughed after Ndombele had found the two perfect English words to describe the impact the Argentine's regime has on unsuspecting souls.

"It's totally different to France," the new signing explained further through Sissoko. "In England you're working very hard, especially at Tottenham. It will be for all our benefit. We want to achieve something at the end of the season."

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Ndombele was tracked by all of Europe's top clubs, including Juventus, Manchester City and PSG, but in the end it was Tottenham who managed to get the big money deal over the line to deliver a player who was Pochettino's top target this summer.

He showed exactly why the Spurs boss wanted him on his debut against Juventus in the International Champions Cup match in Singapore on Sunday.

He came off the bench to set up Lucas Moura's second half equaliser in the 3-2 win with a driving run and perfect through ball before almost scoring himself minutes later with a curling shot. Pochettino described his instant impact as 'amazing'.

Ndombele explained why he was drawn to Tottenham as the next step in his career.

"I wanted to change leagues and to come to England was my dream," he said. "I spoke with the manager, so I knew Tottenham was a big team, especially after what we did last year. I was excited to join a big team. That's why I signed here."

The midfielder has previously admitted that Pochettino 'left a mark' on him when the two men met this summer, but he didn't want to give too much away about the Argentine's convincing words.

"That's something personal. I cannot tell you what the gaffer told me, only that I was happy with what he said and that's why I signed here," he said with an apologetic look.

Sissoko also played his part in making sure his French team-mate knew all about Spurs ahead of the move.

Pochettino full press conference after Juventus victory

"I spoke to him with the national team this season," said the experienced Tottenham man. "I knew the club was interested in him. I told him it's a good club and if he comes here, he will be happy and can do a lot of things. When he decided to sign here, we were all happy to have him with us."

The two men are clearly enjoying their time together. There is no rivalry on display between players who might end up competing for the same spot next season, just a recognition on Sissoko's part that he can look after his younger compatriot.

"It's true. I'm like his big brother, I'm trying to help him. I know when you come from another country it's not easy, especially when you don't speak the language," he admitted.

"I'm trying to help him, to give him a lot of confidence to feel free on the pitch. I try to do what I can and he will be a big benefit for the team. We want him to be ready to play.

"I know how it works here. I've been in England for more than six years, so I can teach him the good things to do, how we work here and what we can do to improve. He's happy!"

The feeling is mutual from Ndombele who laughs as he tells Sissoko how great he is, knowing the Frenchman then has to translate it.

"I like [having him here]. It's a big thing for me, because he's helping me with everything," said the newcomer.

"He knows how it works here. He's been in England, so he can teach me the good things to do, how we work here and what we can do to improve. I'm happy.

"I've been following him since he was in France. To come to a new club and know someone, especially from the national team, makes it easier so I'm very happy to be here. I hope me and Moussa can have a lot of success together."

Sissoko knows exactly what it's like to come in as Tottenham's record signing and he knows just how tough it can be having toiled through a couple of years of struggle following his £30m move from Newcastle before he finally found his feet last season at the club.

"The lesson I can give to him is to be patient and not to worry about his quality. I'm a good example," admitted Sissoko.

"First of all, if he's here it's because he has quality. If you join a new team, it can take time to adapt to a system and play. For some players it can take a month or even a week but for others players more.

"He has to be patient. He has to give his best, work hard in every session and he has the quality. He just has to believe in himself."

It would be understandable if Ndombele was impatient. His career so far has been a rocket-propelled rise from playing in the fifth division in France just five years ago at 17-years-old with Guingamp before moving to Amiens and then finally Lyon, all while making his national team and Champions League debut.

(Image: Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)

"I don't think too much. Yes, five years ago I was in Ligue 5, but I don't think about it, I just try to give my best every year," he said.

"I believe in God and if somethings happens, it happens. This year I have the opportunity to be in the Premier League. It'll be a good experience for me and I'll try to take it, give my best and we'll see where I'll be later."

Ndombele is not feeling any pressure either over the fee that could eventually rise to £63m, far outstripping the £38m the club paid for Davinson Sanchez two years ago.

"No, I don't have any pressure. I'm proud because I'm the club record signing," he said with a wide grin.

"Now what I have to do is show my quality on the pitch and show that Tottenham did well to spend this money on me."

Some players are lured by London, intoxicated by the pull of one of the world's major cities, but for Ndombele, he's more focused on adapting to Pochettino's methods and learning how his team-mates tick.

"For me, the most important thing is to adapt to the team, the system, everything," he explained.

"I'm not worried about my life in London. I'll find an apartment and everything. I just want to be ready to play."

And how is his English coming along? That prompts his third and final word in his new home's native tongue.

"Bad!" he admits before laughing loudly.

Through Sissoko he continues: "It's not good but I'm learning step by step. When we go back to London, I will have English lessons and it will come."

The newcomer also has the benefit of Pochettino, who can speak French after his time at PSG as a player, and also his national captain Hugo Lloris, Lucas Moura and Serge Aurier who can all help him with the language barrier.

Ndombele is excited about the future with Tottenham and liked what he saw of them last season.

After exiting the Champions League with Lyon at the hands of Barcelona - the Frenchman shone in both legs against Messi & Co - he kept a close eye on Spurs' thrilling semi-final victory at Ajax and the final against Liverpool.

(Image: Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)

"I watched the semi-final. I didn't believe we could do it, especially when we were losing. When I saw Lucas scoring the hat-trick, it was crazy but we deserved to be in the final," he said.

"In the final, it was complicated. We were unlucky. That's football. This year we'll try to do even better than last year."

As Sissoko translates his younger team-mate's words, it's asked of him what this coming season will hold for him after a campaign in which he won over the fans with his dynamic displays in the Premier League and in Europe.

"[The aim is] to do even better than last year. Last year, it's true, I had a great season and it was a big honour for me to received the trophy from the legends [the inaugural Spurs legends' player of the year award]," he said.

"Now I need to keep going the same way. A lot of people now expect a lot from me. That's normal. But I need to give my best, like I did last year, and help the team to some success at the end of the season."

Ndombele is asked what the Tottenham fans can expect from him in his first campaign at the club.

He thinks for a moment and then, through Sissoko, delivers a short but sweet final answer.

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"To deliver a big season," he said. "That's the only thing I can say at the moment."

Pochettino and the Spurs fans feel they've found the man to take the club to the next level and in Sissoko Ndombele has a new big brother who will do everything he can to help him deliver that big season.