Tottenham Hotspur are just begging for star attacking midfielder Xavi Simons to get back to full strength, because they are badly missing a difference maker in the final third who can create, supplement the goal scoring of a dreadful attack, and carry the ball. James Maddison is the current main No. 10 for Spurs, but Simons is the starter over him when fully healthy- and Maddison himself is almost never healthy either, including missing the last 1-0 loss to Leeds United.
Simons has been out since the end of the 2025/26 Premier League season with a torn ACL. Before his injury, Simons was playing lights out for Spurs, showing off his best football and finally fully clicking, thanks in large part to the hire of Roberto De Zerbi, with whom the Dutch international seems to share a footballing brain.
Spurs are expecting Simons back in the side later on in the winter, but there have been recent rumblings that the young man is ahead of schedule. And speaking to reporters, Simons gave Tottenham Hotspur fans more reasons to be optimistic about his return.
Xavi Simons said, via Hotspur Lane, “My knee has to feel good. I need to feel strong. Right now, I'm on track, I'm getting stronger every day. I'm putting in endless hours. I have a great team that has been with me this entire journey. Everyone has a different schedule. Everyone's journey is different. For me, I want to come home and only think, 'I can't move my legs anymore,' because I have pushed myself to the limit daily. I want to feel tired. That feeling is when I allow myself to rest. That's how I've approached it throughout.”
The fact that Simons is saying he is "on track" and able to push himself hard to where he is tired is great news, and it means that a return earlier than later in the winter should be on the cards. As with Dejan Kulusevski, Tottenham are not going to rush back Simons or risk anything, as Roberto De Zerbi has wisely been a lot more cautious with injuries than past Tottenham managers, who have all failed miserably in this regard.
But Simons is a guy who can clearly push himself, and ACL tears are easier to recover from than the sort of cartilage injury Dejan Kulusevski had. Tottenham are hearing all the right things around Simons, and his return will be exactly what Spurs need in the attack.