Tottenham Hotspur invested around €60m to sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig on August 29th.
The Netherlands international has failed to score and has two assists from 15 matches for Spurs.
The Dutch media have repeatedly pointed out the attacking midfielder’s lack of physicality as a likely flaw. His performances for the Premier League side have also been criticised.
Simons should be in the squad when Tottenham face Paris Saint-Germain, his former club, in the Champions League tomorrow. L’Equipe have looked into the reasons why he has struggled at the north London club.
Multiple mitigations for Tottenham struggles
According to L’Equipe, and their senior journalist Damien Degorre, the Dutchman privately admits he’s been ‘surprised by the intensity’ of matches and even training in England.
Simons arrived at Tottenham days before the window closed, meaning he didn’t do a pre-season with his new club. Privately, L’Equipe report the player believes this has been an issue.
Thomas Frank initially used the 22-year-old on the left wing, where he doesn’t feel comfortable. The Spurs boss has since brought him more centrally, but the initial tactical approach is presented as another negative.
Xavi Simons has been highly rated since being a youngster but has often failed to live up to the hype. During those times, it’s not unusual to see defences put forward like this, and blame shifted.