This Saturday, Spurs can have initially hoped to have paraded a sure England worldwide by the identify of Eberechi Eze across the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Alas, the boyhood Gooner determined that Arsenal was for him and after the setback of Morgan Gibbs-White a couple of months earlier, Thomas Frank and Co had been again to the drafting board as soon as once more.
They in the end selected Xavi Simons. The Netherlands worldwide strikes to north London from RB Leipzig in a deal price £51m.
It was a dangerous play from Daniel Levy, largely as a result of for a very long time it regarded as if Chelsea would carry him to Stamford Bridge. For as soon as, nonetheless, Spurs acquired their man.
The duty now’s to bolster the ahead line additional.
What to anticipate from Spurs on switch deadline day
With the arrival of Simons, it stays to be seen whether or not Spurs have a look at strengthening Frank’s choices additional.
They’ll definitely strive to take action and have various attackers lined up already. Lucas Paqueta of West Ham has been mooted as a goal however now seems to be on his option to Aston Villa as a substitute.
Atalanta ahead Ademola Lookman is one other participant Levy and the recruitment group may discover. The Nigerian has been pushing for an exit all summer season lengthy and it would not be a shock if he lastly acquired his transfer on deadline day.
There’s additionally the curious case of Morgan Rogers. Final week it was reported that Spurs had held exploratory talks over bringing the England worldwide to north London. But, with a price ticket of £80m, it is an extremely unlikely deal, notably this late within the window.
Nonetheless, based on TEAMtalk, the ‘dream choice for Spurs’ in the event that they fail to safe summer season goal, Savinho, is certainly Rogers.
Villa have given the Lilywhites no indication that they’re prepared to promote however Spurs have been exploring the deal since Thursday.
How Morgan Rogers compares to Xavi Simons
After James Maddison suffered a horrendous ACL harm in pre-season, Frank knew he wanted so as to add a brand new quantity 10, somebody able to scoring and creating in equal measure.
Maddison might not have been at his finest final time period however he did nonetheless discover the web on 12 events, registering an additional 11 assists in all competitions. Spurs wanted somebody able to changing that output and Simons definitely ticks loads of bins.
The 22-year-old scored 11 targets and provided eight assists in 2024/25, practically matching the output of Maddison.
Effectively, in Rogers, they’d safe a participant able to being elevated by Simons. In brief, they’d be really game-changing collectively.
Since leaving Middlesbrough behind for Aston Villa in January of 2024, the previous Manchester Metropolis youth gem has been a revelation within the Midlands.
Final season, Rogers scored a Champions League hat-trick, earned his England debut and racked up an entire host of aim involvements.
It was a surprising 2024/25 marketing campaign for the 23-year-old who bagged 14 targets and provided 16 assists in all competitions. So, based mostly on uncooked output, he is an improve on the gifted Simons however simply think about the considered these two taking part in collectively. Frank’s assault turns into infinitely higher in a single day.
|
Rogers vs Simons – 24/25 League |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90 minutes) |
Rogers |
Simons |
|
Objectives |
0.23 |
0.42 |
|
Assists |
0.29 |
0.25 |
|
Key passes |
1.47 |
2.13 |
|
Progressive passes |
3.55 |
5.86 |
|
Progressive carries |
3.29 |
3.56 |
|
Tried take-ons |
4.62 |
4.18 |
|
Profitable take-ons |
1.91 |
1.38 |
|
Profitable take-on % |
41.3% |
33.% |
|
Information by way of FBRef. |
||
Analysing the numbers additional, we get a way for the primary similarities and variations between the 2 gamers.
Simons definitely seems to be a bit extra artistic, registering extra progressive passes and managing extra key passes all through the 2024/25 marketing campaign. Thus, he’d be a wonderful provide line for Rogers who may play on the left wing subsequent to the Dutchman.
They’d bounce off one another tremendously nicely, contemplating on the subject of dribbling and beating a participant, Rogers is your man. He is elite at taking gamers on and that is rubberstamped by the truth that he completes over 40% of the dribbles he makes an attempt.
Mix that with the flexibility to attain targets and also you definitely have probably the greatest attacking midfielders in Europe proper right here. It is hardly a shock that Villa presenter Kate Tracey has described him as a “celebrity”.
That is precisely what he’s and if Villa may land a sensational coup within the remaining hours of the window, it might ship out an enormous message to their Premier League rivals. Simply think about Rogers and Simons in the identical facet. It is a scary thought.
