Tottenham Hotspur are still riding a high after winning the Europa League to cap off an otherwise dismal 2024/25 season in the Premier League, but one of their London rivals, Chelsea, are riding an even bigger high after conquering the likes of PSG as winners of the Club World Cup. And that's after they already won the Conference League and secured 2025/26 Champions League football with a top-five finish.
The controversial and incredibly expensive Todd Boehly-led sporting project at Chelsea is finally paying dividends, and the rich only got richer this summer. If Tottenham fans would be satisfied with the trio of Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, and Morgan Gibbs-White enriching their squad, then look at the incomings at Chelsea in Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Liam Delap, Estevao Willian, Andrey Santos, Joao Pedro, Mamadou Sarr, Dario Essugo, and Kendry Paez.
That's an embarrassment of young, high-upside riches, and Chelsea don't look like they are stopping any time soon. The Blues and Tottenham are going toe-to-toe for several more transfer targets before the summer 2025 window closes, and the most prominent of them is RB Leipzig center midfelder Xavi Simons, who is one of the best young midfielders in world football right now.
Chelsea already have a crazy good midfield
According to new information from top insider Fabrizio Romano, Simons has "opened doors" to a move to Chelsea this summer, as his camp have made direct contact with Chelsea over a move. Starting today, Tuesday, the Blues and Leipzig will begin talks between each other regarding the transfer fee.
That's a big step and a concrete development in Chelsea's favor on the Simons front, whereas Tottenham have a bigger need for a midfielder. Chelsea have the Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez with Cole Palmer in the playmaker role, and they have Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia as depth options along with Andrey Santos coming in with Essugo. That's incredible, and yet they are still going after the world-class Simons.
Tottenham are in trouble here, and they need to step things up. Daniel Levy doesn't have any better options than Simons on the transfer market right now, and Spurs have done very little to go after midfielders - other than Morgan Gibbs-White, who is way too attacking to play as an 8. Simons, meanwhile, can be a top-class 8 or a 10 for either Chelsea or Tottenham. Spurs have been second-best to their London rivals too often this window, and they don't want to fall this behind on Simons.