The 22-year-old has been an underwhelming signing for Tottenham.
Xavi Simons has struggled to find his rhythm at Tottenham Hotspur since completing a €60 million move from RB Leipzig last summer.
After missing out on the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, Spurs turned to Xavi Simons and beat Chelsea to his signature. It appears that the decision to join Spurs may not have worked out as expected for the 22-year-old. He wasn’t influential in Thomas Frank’s system, and there were fears that the Dutchman would not be fancied much by Igor Tudor.
Surprisingly, Simons has shown signs of getting back his confidence lately, most notably putting in a Man of the Match display against Atletico Madrid at home in the Champions League last-16 tie. The creative midfielder has managed five goals and six assists in 40 games in a Tottenham shirt, numbers that are quite low for someone so highly-regarded across the continent.
Rafael van der Vaart ‘disappointed’ with Xavi Simons at Tottenham
Former Tottenham star from the 2010s, Rafael van der Vaart has laid into Simons, admitting he expected a lot more from his compatriot in N17.
“He disappoints me. I had expected much more from him,” Van der Vaart said on Dutch outlet Ziggo Sport’s Rondo (h/t De Telegraaf).
“He is so eager to show how good he is. That is having the opposite effect. He was the young talent, and everyone was talking about him. He is still playing a bit like that.
“[Last season] at Leipzig, he really had a good period. Tottenham is nothing at all. After PSV, he also showed it in the Bundesliga.”
Van der Vaart isn’t the only one to criticise the Spurs playmaker. Dutch legend Ruud Gullit has also been watching Simons’ struggles in the Premier League and has been left with questions as a result.
“He is hyped. I still don’t really know how good he could be,” Gullit added.
Can Roberto De Zerbi help Simons realise his full potential?
Roberto De Zerbi has replaced Igor Tudor at the North London club’s helm. The club officials and fans need De Zerbi to make an immediate impact and turn the Lilywhites’ fortunes around, as they do not have time on their side at the moment.
The Italian must galvanise the entire squad, but his focus might be on certain individuals who have underperformed throughout the season. Simons is one of those, with the playmaker blowing more cold than hot in his debut season in English football. Hopefully for the Netherlands international, playing in his best position and in a more attacking system will benefit him.
De Zerbi’s possession-based, fluid style of play will be better suited to the way the 22-year-old operates. The Italian can actually build the attacking unit around Simons, giving him the responsibility to orchestrate moves and chip in with crucial assists and goals. A motivated and confident Simons could play a big role in helping Tottenham stay up in the top flight.