Xavi Simons had huge sneakers to fill when taking the quantity seven shirt at Tottenham Hotspur, the jersey having been worn by membership legend, Heung-min Son, for a decade previous to that.
It is truthful to say that the Dutchman hasn’t managed to fill Son’s void as but in north London, one among many to be struck down by harm throughout what was a tumultuous 2025/26 marketing campaign.
He’ll little question be chomping on the bit to get again match and firing once more, desirous to make up for misplaced time. Can he have a long-term future beneath Roberto De Zerbi?
When will Simons play for Spurs once more?
De Zerbi’s first win accountable for Spurs got here at a price again in April, with the 1-0 victory away at Molineux seeing Simons stretched off after struggling an ACL harm.
It felt like significantly merciless timing because the ex-RB Leipzig man had begun to indicate indicators of life at N17, memorably rifling in that beautiful effort within the 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion every week earlier.
Alas, De Zerbi has since needed to make do with out his quantity seven, with Simons compelled to overlook this summer time’s World Cup as he faces an prolonged stint on the sidelines.
Whereas he has been making progress in his restoration, the expectation is that the 23-year-old will not characteristic once more till early 2027, with February having been famous as a practical month to goal for.
This new-look crew must take form in his absence, though it is not as if Simons was essentially firing anyway, following a combined begin in English soccer.
Assessing Simons’ first season at Spurs in numbers
Snapped up from Leipzig for a reported charge of round £52m final summer time, the ex-PSV Eindhoven and Paris Saint-Germain man regarded like an actual coup on the time of his arrival in north London.
His spell in Germany, as an illustration, had seen him chalk up 46 objectives and assists in 78 video games in all competitions, whereas at PSV, his document had stood at 33 purpose involvements in simply 48 complete video games.
After all, harm has been the important thing concern since heading to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but even earlier than that, the playmaker had struggled to get going, racking up simply 11 objectives and assists in 41 video games.
Not a dismal document, but it is value noting that he is solely scored two Premier League objectives to this point, his finest work coming within the Champions League, together with his beautiful brace in opposition to Atletico Madrid.
Understanding how finest to utilise the Netherlands worldwide has been a key concern, as he is flitted between a left-wing berth and a quantity ten function, whereas he is failed to copy the inventive dominance he showcased again in Germany.
|
Simons – 24/25 vs 25/26 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
24/25 |
Stat (*per sport) |
25/26 |
|
25 |
Video games |
28 |
|
10 |
Targets |
2 |
|
216 |
Minutes per purpose |
885 |
|
2 |
Massive possibilities missed |
3 |
|
7 |
Assists |
5 |
|
12 |
Massive possibilities created |
7 |
|
2.0 |
Key passes* |
1.3 |
|
83% |
Move accuracy* |
83% |
|
1.3 |
Succ. dribbles* |
1.0 |
|
5.4 |
Complete duels received* |
4.2 |
He is obtained loads of work to do to impress when he does return to motion within the new yr, not least with gamers respiration down his neck in these most popular roles.
Spurs have the right participant to take Simons’ quantity 7 shirt
Let’s face it, Spurs have not clicked into gear in an attacking sense to this point beneath De Zerbi, the likes of Omar Marmoush, Dominic Solanke, Mohammed Kudus and Savio all ready to get off the mark within the Premier League this season.
Presently sat rock-bottom of the desk, the Lilywhites want one thing to vary sooner reasonably than later, amid the chance of yet one more season riddled with discuss of relegation.
They cannot afford for the likes of Simons to get again match and firing once more, with De Zerbi in want of an immediate uplift in efficiency.
Properly, it would properly be time to thrust younger Luca Williams-Barnett into the combination, {the teenager} a first-rate candidate to resolve Tottenham’s woes on the left or in a quantity ten function.
These two positions have been a problem to this point this season, amid Simons’ absence, but the 18-year-old absolutely deserves a correct probability to stake a declare of his personal.
He did characteristic late on within the thumping win over Charlton Athletic within the Carabao Cup, though that’s nonetheless one among simply two first-team appearances that Williams-Barnett has made thus far.
Easing a participant of his age in is a sensible transfer, but amid the continuing issues relating to the dearth of a pathway within the academy ranks, selling the playmaker completely can be the right approach to quash that discuss.
Within the view of analyst and Como scout, Ben Mattinson, Williams-Barnett is “one among England’s finest skills at youth degree“, his document talking for itself, too, it have to be stated.
In 32 video games for the U18s, he scored and assisted 37 objectives, whereas he is since made the graceful step as much as life within the U21 set-up, notching 15 objectives involvements in simply 12 appearances to this point.
He is began this season in rampant kind usually too, solely just lately registering a purpose and help within the 4-2 win over Manchester Metropolis, serving to to guide Spurs to the highest of the Premier League 2 desk.
That outing notably noticed the teenager cleared the path when it comes to profitable dribbles accomplished and complete pictures registered, mirroring Simons as somebody who likes to attempt his luck from vary.
Williams-Barnett seems like a celebrity within the making, the right participant to unlock De Zerbi’s limp ahead line.
With Simons out of the image, now seems the best time to thrust {the teenager} into the combination. Who is aware of, he might even render the stricken Dutchman redundant earlier than too lengthy, taking that quantity seven jersey for himself.
