The star in question recently ruptured his ACL.
Tottenham Hotspur has been dealt a major injury blow as Xavi Simons ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. That happened in the second half of the 1-0 win at Wolves, which not only ends his season but also puts a close to his World Cup dreams.
But that injury also put him in an almost impossible position with regard to his future at Hotspur Way. There was a recent row about Carrick’s Manchester United wanting to move for him and take him away from Spurs misery to Old Trafford, but that will surely not happen now that he is sidelined.
Xavi Simons has struggled at Tottenham
He hasn’t quite found his creative charm donning that Spurs badge since moving to N17 in the summer window. And his struggles at Tottenham had pushed rumours of him looking for a possible exit just around twelve months after joining the Lilywhites in a marquee transfer from RB Leipzig.
And now former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, in his conversation with Football Insider, insists that this injury means Simons will be an unsellable asset for Tottenham as well, even if there is a relegation clause in his contract. He points out that no club would be willing to take on a player who is already scheduled to face months of rehabilitation.
Simons will join Tottenham wide forward Wilson Odobert on the treatment table as the former Burnley man also nurses an ACL injury, which makes senior players nursing injuries to as many as ten at Hotspur Way.
Borson speaks candidly on Xavi Simons’ injury impact
Tottenham had beaten Chelsea to sign Simons in a £51.8m deal from RB Leipzig, but he was barely able to replicate his performances in the Bundesliga in North London. He did show a bit of promise since De Zerbi took charge of the proceedings at N17 before last week’s injury put a stop to it.
And Borson was quite direct in showing the realities of finances and contractual implications that Tottenham and Simons will face, irrespective of a probable relegation. Speaking to Football Insider, he said:
“I think we need to take some of that with a pinch of salt. Most of the players do have a relegation clause, and that is their standard policy.
“It’s hard to see how one player would have been carved out of that. Now, if he has,
then it’s a very difficult situation for them. It’s also a difficult situation for the player if he does have a relegation clause because he’s stuck.
“He’s not going to play any meaningful part, probably, of even next season. As we all know, an ACL is not just the recovery period to actually get back, but it’s also about being effective. You’re not effective really until three to six months after.
“So the likelihood is he’s unsellable. It’s effectively going to be a very expensive exercise for Spurs next season. And for the player, disastrous, obviously. It’s cruel timing and disastrous.
“But I don’t see any way around it for Spurs themselves because nobody’s going to buy him. Let’s be realistic. So they’re stuck, and they’ll have to pay his wages and have to pay his recovery.”
Tottenham would want a financial reset if they were to be relegated, as they will have to balance out the lack of money flowing in when playing in the English second tier. But Simons cannot be part of that financial reset. Tottenham will be forced to carry his wages throughout his recovery, and the Lilywhites’ only realistic option is to support his rehabilitation, hoping to reintegrate him into the squad for the 2027/28 season at the earliest.