Tottenham Hotspur urged to hijack Chelsea deal for RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons
Tottenham are still looking to find a replacement for James Maddison after the England international ruptured his ACL earlier this month. The Lilywhites have come close to sealing the deal for various players in recent weeks, but the lack of urgency shown by Daniel Levy has forced the North London club to not seal the deal for any of their intended targets.
It is absolutely clear that Spurs need to sign a new #10 before the transfer window shuts shop. The Lilywhites have endured a strong start to their new Premier League campaign under Thomas Frank, winning the first two games in a convincing manner. However, the glaring issue in both those games was that the Danish tactician was forced to play a holding midfielder as his #10.
Thomas Frank has tested Pape Matar Sarr in an advanced role in the first two games of the Premier League season. And credit where its due, the Senegal international has done everything right for the Lilywhites. He played a key role in both goals that Spurs scored against Manchester City as well. But this cannot go on for long as the North London club will come up against strong opposition in the Champions League as the season goes on.
Tottenham should look at RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons
After missing out on Eberechi Eze at the eleventh-hour, Tottenham were reported to have turned their eyes towards RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons. The Lilywhites held internal talks to bring the Dutchman to N17 before the transfer window closed. However, Chelsea are also in the mix for his signature and the talented attacker has already agreed personal terms with the Blues.
Now, ex-Man Utd coach Rene Meulensteen has urged Spurs to hijack the deal and bring Simons to North London. Speaking to CoinPoker (via Metro), Meulensteen said,
“It’s interesting to see, but he has to be in one of those top teams to succeed in the Premier League. He’s mobile, he’s really a player that drifts between the lines, behind the pockets, he can be the man.”
The ex-Man Urd coach added,
“But where he ends up, if he ends up in the Premier League, is yet to be seen. Tottenham? That could be a really good option. With James Maddison out, that could be a really good option.”
Rene Meulensteen believes Xavi Simons needs to come to the Premier League as he will thrive in England. The ex-Man Utd coach added that the Dutchman is quick and tends to thrive in transitions by drifting between the lines. Meulensteen also believes that Tottenham will a good fit for the RB Leipzig star, as he could easily take the place of James Maddison in the squad.
Signing Xavi Simons will be seen as a statement of intent from Daniel Levy. The Netherlands international can either play as a #10 and a #9, or as a left-winger. Not only that, but the 22-year-old also thrives in half-spaces due to his technical brilliance and elite dribbling skills. His ability to find pockets of space can be crucial during build-up play against low-blocks as well.