Tottenham Hotspur have seen their bid to avoid relegation rocked by news that Xavi Simons has suffered a torn ACL and will likely be out of action until 2027.
The Netherlands international picked up the injury in an innocuous moment at Molineux in the club's 1-0 win over Wolves this past weekend, claiming their first victory in the Premier League of 2026, keeping them two points adrift of safety with just four games remaining of their campaign.
The options within the squad to replace the playmaker are limited, with James Maddison still not fit to play after suffering his own ACL tear in pre-season last year, while Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, and Conor Gallagher are all more comfortable in a deeper role and Dejan Kulusevski remains sidelined, having not played for almost a year.
Plans now must begin to be made for next season, regardless of what league Spurs will be playing in, and that means making a decision on what they're going to do about the position for the next campaign.
Tottenham Already Have Simons Replacement
While Simons arrived as one of the most exciting number tens in Europe last summer, a lot of his game time has come off the wing. He's also someone who likes to float around the pitch to pick up the ball.
But whether Spurs find themselves in the Premier League or Championship next season, they don't need to enter the transfer market to replace him, as they already have a ready-made replacement in the squad that will be available to them from this summer.
Maddison will be fitter and ready to play, but there is every chance that teams could look to sign him if the club are relegated, and Spurs could cash in for a decent sum of money to help their rebuild.
That decision is likely to be a bit easier to make too, knowing that they have Mikey Moore set to return from his loan spell at Rangers hungry, and ready to explode as a star for the first-team.
Mikey Moore Ready to Explode
Moore, who has been described as 'special' and compared to Neymar, has spent this season on loan at Ibrox and established himself as a regular in Danny Rohl's side as they chase a record 56th Scottish Premiership title.
His performances in attack have seen the Glasgow club look into bringing him back for next season, and the player is understood to be ready to go back if the situation suits. But Spurs are now likely to be able to offer him regular game time, and under a manager like De Zerbi he would thrive.
This is a chance for the club to be able to promote a sensational young talent to the first-team and help him become a key member of their squad, and replace a key player without spending a penny. It's a no-brainer.