Xavi Simons had a good weekend for Tottenham, with a goal and assist in the 2-0 victory over Brentford. The 22-year-old has had a difficult start to his Spurs life, but has retained the backing of the club’s fans.
There’s excitement over what he can bring going forwards, and pressure on Thomas Frank to get the most from him. It’s not the first time during Simons’ young career that coaches have been under pressure to find a way to make him shine.
Last season, the Dutchman scored 11 goals and added eight assists for RB Leipzig. Despite that, there wasn’t huge sorrow over his departure to Tottenham, with opinions mixed.
In recent weeks, there’s been repeat German claims that Simons’ exit has actually been a good thing, enabling others to shine.
Bild now follow that up and state RB Leipzig are ‘not mourning for a second’ after selling him for €65m.
Replacement shining after Tottenham transfer
Christoph Baumgartner has stepped into the role and been a ‘sensation’, with the German newspaper stating he’s a better version of Simons: ‘While the Austrian previously had to play second fiddle to the temperamental playmaker, he’s now the driving force on the pitch – without any airs or scandals. And: better than Xavi!
‘With ten goals and six assists in the first 16 competitive matches, he’s having a significantly stronger season than his predecessor in London at the same time. He’s also surpassing Xavi’s stats from previous years: In his first season, 2023/24, Xavi racked up 15 scorer points (6 goals/9 assists), while last year he only managed 4 goals and 5 assists after the first 16 competitive matches.’
Should Xavi Simons manage to build on his weekend impact, this could be a transfer which turns out well for everyone involved.
