Xavi Simons won't be back in the Tottenham Hotspur starting 11 until 2027 when he returns from a devastating ACL tear at the end of the 2025/26 Premier League season, which came just when he was starting to show signs of exploding under Roberto De Zerbi, as the two quickly clicked as a player and coach combo.
The best signing out of the two new exciting pillars Spurs bought last summer alongside Mohammed Kudus, Simons has so much future potential as a hybrid No. 8/10 in the modern game with his explosiveness as a dribbler, ability to create chances, goal scoring upside, and even potential defensive work rate. This is a guy who can affect the final score and potentially do it all in the midfield.
Recently on social media, Simons revealed that his favorite all time Tottenham player is Luka Modric, via Hotspur Reports. Modric is, of course, arguably the greatest center midfielder of all time and is still world class over the age of 40 at AC Milan, having won the Ballon d'Or and multiple Champions League titles at Real Madrid. But before that, he was one of the best midfielders in teh Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur.
Xavi Simons needs to keep watching Luka Modric film
As Xavi Simons studies the game and works on his mind while rehabbing from this major knee injury, Tottenham will hope that he runs through some more films of Modric from his time at Spurs, in Madrid, and currently in Milan, too.
And they will hope that in addition to what he already has, Simons starts building an ability to dictate in the final third and slow the game down when he needs to in order to find the perfect pass or shot. So many of Modric's best plays in the Champions League knockouts or against big rivals like Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, and Barcelona over the years came in crunch time or in the tight spaces of muck with everything on the line.
Simons has amazing athletic tools and upside, and he does have a great understanding of the game. But his consistency, timing of the final pass, and ability to actually control the attacking third while on the ball still needs to develop. Now, of course, a lot of that will come with time and experience, but watching Luka Modric and really studying his ability to manipulate time and space with his touches and approach to positioning his body will definitely help, too.
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