Tottenham are finally closing in on one of their preferred targets as Xavi Simons moves one step closer to a move to North London.
Thomas Frank has struggled in the transfer market throughout the summer as several top targets have opted against signing for Spurs.
Following Morgan Gibbs-White’s decision to remain at Nottingham Forest, Eberechi Eze signed for North London rivals Arsenal despite agreeing terms with the Lilywhites.
Tottenham have been eager to recruit another attacker following James Maddison’s ACL injury, and now, after weeks of searching, Frank is closing in on his man.
According to David Ornstein, Simons has completed his medical ahead of a £52 million transfer from RB Leipzig, and while there will undoubtedly be celebrations at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, one player will now be concerned about his minutes moving forward.
Xavi Simons is likely to replace Brennan Johnson at Tottenham
Simons’ impending move to Tottenham is a sensational coup for the club. At one stage, it looked like the Dutchman was heading for Chelsea.
The Blues hit a roadblock in negotiations with Leipzig while focusing on alternative targets, allowing Spurs the perfect opportunity to swoop in and hijack the deal.
However, Brennan Johnson has enjoyed a stellar start to the season on the left flank, continuing from his impressive efforts last term – Johnson elevated Ange Postecoglou’s side.
While Simons can operate anywhere across the attacking positions, he primarily operates on the left side of the attack, and the Spurs faithful will expect him to immediately start games in the Premier League once his transfer is finalised.
Johnson has cut a frustrating figure at times, but he enjoyed his most productive campaign in a Spurs shirt last season, culminating in scoring the winning goal in the Europa League final against Manchester United.
And his efforts caught the attention of Theo Walcott, who branded Johnson as “inspiring” as he played a pivotal role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“It’s actually quite inspiring because you know, these wingers these days like to be inverted wingers. He’s actually like, no, I’m a bit old-school. I’ll stay on the right-hand side, I know what I’m gifted at, I won’t mess around with it, I won’t try and slow down defenders, if I got space, I’ll cross it.”
If you give me space, I’ll run past you and shoot and that’s what he’s getting rewarded because defenders are now expecting all these wingers to come inside at times but he is using his strengths and just thinking, ‘You’re going to stand off me.”
How do Brennan Johnson and Xavi Simons compare?
The 24-year-old will undoubtedly be eager to continue his rich vein of form throughout this season, but the arrival of Simons does mean his starting berth is under threat.
Although Simons will arrive as the latest big-money acquisition for Spurs, his efforts last term flutter in comparison to Johnson.
The Welsh international played considerably more games than his soon-to-be teammate but managed three more goal contributions across all competitions.
Indeed, the statistics suggest that Simons would have outperformed Johnson had he played more matches, but the fact of the matter is that Johnson had a more impressive campaign.