Turnabout is fair play, and Tottenham Hotspur have swooped into someone else’s transfer rumors with the capture of Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig.
The 22-year-old Netherlands playmaker was heavily-linked with Chelsea but instead heads for North London, with Spurs saying he’ll wear the No. 7 worn by just two players since 2008-09: Heung-min Son and Aaron Lennon.
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“It’s a great club and when I met the head coach I knew straight away that this was the right place for me,” Simons said. “I will bring flair to the team but also hard work and discipline. I want to do everything I can to win, for the team and also for the fans.”
Simons has been in the public eye for a decade despite his tender age. He joined Barcelona as an adolescent and became one of the most talked about prodigies in La Masia.
Xavi Simons to Tottenham Hotspur: What will he bring to Spurs?
He moved to PSG’s academy at 16 on an expensive contract and debuted in Ligue 1 during the 2020-21 season. Yet he made just 11 appearances for Les Parisiens before moving to PSV Eindhoven in 2022-23.
A 19-goal season followed, then a successful loan to RB Leipzig that led to a permanent transfer. He was named to Bundesliga’s Team of the Season after an 8-goal, 13-assist campaign in 2023-24.
Simons has 28 caps for the Netherlands, scoring five goals including a marker against England at EURO 2024.
He’s an elite producer for a midfielder, and an able-bodied defender as a winger. He could be the perfect fit to play a Bryan Mbeumo-like role in Thomas Frank’s system. And surely pipping Chelsea to a target is a brilliant boon for Spurs fans.
