Tottenham Hotspur sealed a dramatic last-minute summer deal for playmaker Xavi Simons in a £52 million deal from RB Leipzig, with the Dutchman preparing to make an imminent Premier League debut.

Following botched deals for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, Spurs finally ended their summer search for a creative midfielder by signing Simons on a five-year deal with the option of a further two years — one of the longest player contracts in Tottenham’s history.

Appearances

25

Minutes played

2,157

Goals

10

Assists

7

Bookings

5

Shots at goal per 90 minutes

2

Passing accuracy

82.9%

Average match rating

7.32

via WhoScored

Fresh off the back of two seasons impressing in the Bundesliga with Leipzig – initially on loan before signing permanently for them earlier this year – it didn’t take long for Simons to swiftly seal another move, this time to England.

Chelsea appeared set to sign the former PSG sensation at one stage, but their dilly-dallying over a deal handed ex-Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy a chance to hijack the Blues’ talks and sign Simons for Spurs.

In one of his final acts as chair before resigning last week, Levy backed Thomas Frank with the addition of a highly-rated attacker who’s set to step into the injured James Maddison’s shoes.

Simons bagged 22 goals and 24 assists in 78 total appearances for Leipzig, and was a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy before he moved to PSG in his youth.

Bundesliga expert Kevin Hatchard claims that Spurs supporters will be a fan of Simons, but recently hinted at some concerns surrounding his attitude after reports he’s heard in the German media.

With Maddison out until 2026 after rupturing his ACL, and Dejan Kulusevski not named in Tottenham’s 22-man Champions League squad as he continues his recovery from a knee problem, Simons could prove to be an absolutely vital addition for Frank.

What Rafael van der Vaart has already said about Xavi Simons

Bearing in mind the excitement around his potential debut against West Ham on Saturday, it is worth pointing out what Tottenham fan favourite Rafael van der Vaart has already said about Simons in the past.

Speaking to Studio Voetbal in 2023, the ex-Spurs star was adamant that Simons could be sensational, saying very few players can do what he can do when showed footage of the 22-year-old striking the crossbar.

When asked if he could be world-class, Van der Vaart said:

As well as Simons, fellow new signing Randal Kolo Muani could also play against West Ham, so this is gearing up to be one of the most exciting London derbies against the Hammers in some time.

Mohammed Kudus is also braced for a return to his former club, and it will be very interesting to see the kind of reception he gets.