When Tottenham Hotspur signed Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig in the last transfer window, it was considered a real coup. Simons is only 22, but he also already has experience playing for Paris Saint-Germain, PSV Eindhoven, and the Netherlands.
Simons was also linked with all the top clubs, including Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Chelsea, before heading to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. However, he has not lived up to expectations at his new home.
The Dutchman has so far played in 17 games for Spurs, without scoring and making just two assists. It is unfair to judge him on these stats, as he has only completed a full 90 minutes once for Thomas Frank's side. That came in a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United at St. James' Park in the EFL Cup.
Many of Simons' appearances have been as a substitute. This included a 30-minute cameo in Tottenham's 2-1 loss to Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday night.
What has Thomas Frank had to say about Xavi Simons?
Frank has been quoted on The Spurs Web saying, "There is a reason why we have Xavi here. I think he is a very good player. He has trained very well. It is not the first time a player has stepped into the Premier League and needs a bit of adaptation."
This is a fair point, as many players have shone in the Bundesliga but have struggled in the Premier League. Florian Wirtz, who Liverpool bought for £116 million from Bayer Leverkusen, is another example of this.
The difference between Wirtz and Simons is that the Liverpool player is still being given a chance to impress. Spurs did pay less than half of what the Reds paid for their recruit from the Bundesliga, £51.8m for Simons.
Simons' only goal involvements this year for Spurs came in a 4-0 win against Copenhagen and a 3-0 victory over West Ham United. The Danish side is not the most challenging of Champions League opposition, whilst the Hammers are in a relegation battle this campaign.
With James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski out injured, it is surprising that Simons is not getting more of a chance this season. Frank is flexible with his formations, but has still not found a way to get the best out of Simons. Given that Tottenham are winless in their last four games, it should be time for Simons to get more game time.