Sport Witness

Xavi Simons thought he was Tottenham Hotspur’s hero against Brighton. And when he scored the winning goal, he celebrated like it too.

But while his teammates celebrated with him, Willem van Hanegem thinks that they should have been very unimpressed. In fact, he thinks Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman will think the same way he does.

Highs to lows for Xavi Simons

The Dutch forward had arguably his best game for Tottenham in the 2-2 draw with Brighton on Sunday.

After providing the cross for Pedro Porro’s opener, his superb solo effort appeared to have won the game in the second half.

The 23-year-old celebrated his goal wildly, taking his shirt off to celebrate in front of the home crowd as if he had scored a last-minute winner.

Instead, he was later seen on the verge of tears as Georginio Rutter’s late equaliser broke Tottenham hearts and plunged them further into relegation trouble.

Van Hanegem was watching on and was left unimpressed by Simons’ big celebration after his goal.

“If a player like that had played in our era, and the manager didn’t want to take him off, then the players certainly would have taken him off themselves,” he said, via PSV Inside.

“If Koeman sees this now, wouldn’t he have something to say about it? Xavi Simons always plays his own game. It is truly terrible to watch.”

Tottenham focus

The bigger question is whether Xavi Simons can recover from the emotional blow to repeat his performance against Brighton again.

The reality is that such performances have been sorely lacking this season following his big-money arrival from RB Leipzig in the summer.

But if he can perform like he did against the Seagulls more often, Tottenham might have a fighting chance of dragging themselves out of their current predicament.

The Dutchman looked devastated after the final whistle, though. And coming back from that might be a task he finds difficult.

Tottenham Hotspur‘s Luka Vušković injury situation at Hamburg SV is concerning for both clubs.

The Croatia international last made an appearance in the Bundesliga side’s draw against FC Augsburg on April 4th.

He has been on the sidelines since then and there’s been various claims of what’s wrong with the Tottenham man.

Timeline of events over Vušković’s injury

Last Wednesday, Hamburg manager Merlin Polzin said the defender underwent intensive treatment. Two days later, the coach insisted he could risk the 19-year-old for the clash against Werder Bremen on Saturday.

However, the Tottenham owned player didn’t feature in the derby defeat. On Monday, Sport Witness covered claims from Germany his knee injury is much worse than initially feared.

On Tuesday, we relayed news that Spurs and Hamburg medical staff are analysing Luka Vušković’s latest MRI scans. Claims from Croatia insisted there’s no serious setback and he could return to face SC Freiburg on May 10th.

Fresh updates on Tottenham player’s recovery

Bild discuss the latest on Luka Vušković’s rehabilitation process when reporting the latest on Hamburg SV’s injury situation.

The newspaper relay comments from Hamburg sporting director Claus Costa, who gives a detailed explanation why the defender’s setback is challenging to deal with.

“A knee sprain or contusion causes internal bleeding. This makes it difficult to control the knee precisely and correctly. That’s something that takes time,” he said.

The Bundesliga side’s official insists the need to take a cautious approach with the centre-back while remains optimistic he will feature again this season.

“Of course, we miss Luka. Because he’s not on the pitch, he’s somewhat sidelined. We have to be patient and wait until he’s available again,” Costa explained

“I’m optimistic that he’ll be able to play again this season. If he’s fit to play, nothing can stop him. He’s extremely ambitious and desperately wants to play for us again. That’s why we’re confident.”

Our take: Croatian may not play again this season

On Tuesday, Sport Witness relayed news Roberto De Zerbi’s side need to give the green light for him to return to the pitch with Hamburg SV.

Taking Luka Vušković’s current situation into account, it won’t be surprising if Tottenham don’t give the approval.

Spurs taking a safer approach with the Croatian would have no direct impact on their results this season. However, this makes sure he avoids risk of any further setbacks.

Tottenham Hotspur are in ‘intensive medical consultations’ with HSV Hamburg over Luka Vušković, who will not be risked in any way, shape or form.

BILD add to the growing information regarding the 19-year-old as he looks to return from a knee injury before the end of the season.

Three-way approval

The Croatian centre-back has been shining at Hamburg since joining them on loan from Tottenham in the summer.

He’s very much a key player for the German side at this point. And his absence has been sorely felt in the last two weeks without him. In that time, Hamburg have conceded seven goals, lost two games and felt relegation breathing down their necks.

They are currently sat on 31 points, seven clear of Wolfsburg in 17th and five ahead of St. Pauli in 16th. But there is plenty of time left for them to be dragged back in. They need the Tottenham loanee back as soon as possible.

But the decision is not theirs to make. Reports in Croatia and Germany explained that today. According to those, Tottenham hold all the power on a potential return. Now BILD add their own information.

‘Intensive medical consultations’

BILD report that any return for the defender requires a triple ‘yes’. HSV must be convinced that he can play safely. The player himself must be convinced as well. Then Tottenham hold the final call.

They are currently engaged in ‘intensive medical consultations’ about their defender. BILD say no decision will be made that runs counter to Spurs’ interests.

In other words, Tottenham simply won’t risk allowing a premature return to the pitch that could aggravate his injury. They, it seems, would simply prefer for the Croatian not to play.

Whether that is with next season in mind, or even a summer transfer, is not made clear. But it seems Tottenham will hold firm, and only make a decision based on their own interests. And that risks upsetting HSV as they look to battle against relegation.

Galatasaray are keeping a close eye on Xavi Simons, in case Tottenham Hotspur are relegated from the Premier League this season.

FotoSpor report that Galatasaray have a close eye on the Dutchman but could face competition from Barcelona for him.

Galatasaray want a number 10

FotoSpor report that Galatasaray are absolutely certain that they wish to sign a number ten for their squad this summer.

The current favourite is Bernardo Silva, who will be available on a free transfer from Manchester City. That makes him a very attractive option, although competition in Europe will be fierce.

But he’s not the only name that they are monitoring. Galatasaray are also keeping a close eye on Xavi Simons’ situation at Tottenham.

With Spurs hovering on the brink of relegation, a mass clear out could be on the way if they do go down to the Championship. Simons is one of those they could part ways with.

The 23-year-ld was brought in from RB Leipzig in the summer but has failed to impress, particularly given he cost €65m. Various reports have already linked him with a rapid exit.

Galatasaray, for their part, would be willing to make a loan offer. Barcelona re also in the mix and looking to take advantage of the situation.

Tottenham relegation key

Everything hinges on Tottenham’s situation at the end of the season. If they are relegated, a fire sale will be needed. Some big earners like Simons will have to move on.

If that happens, clubs like Galatasaray and Barcelona are already circling like proverbial vultures. They’re ready to pick apart Tottenham and push the best deals they can for Spurs’ top players.

Indeed, clubs in Türkiye are particularly keen on this. Another report today had Fenerbahce making moves for Pape Matar Sarr. Now it is Galatasaray circling for Simons in a similar manner.

They, and likely plenty of other clubs, will be watching closely as Tottenham battle to stay up in the final weeks of the season.

Andrea Dossena had a spell at Liverpool which lasted over a year, but the former Italy international could easily have been at Tottenham Hotspur instead.

The Reds signed the fullback from Udinese back in 2008. Despite glimpses of his quality, Dossena didn’t last long at Anfield, departing for Napoli in the middle of the 2009/10 campaign.

Later, he also had stints at Sunderland, Palermo, and played a role in taking Napoli back to the Champions League.

Dossena spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport on Monday and looked back on his career. That’s when Tottenham came into the conversation.

No regret over Liverpool choice

The 44-year-old, who is currently manager at Novara, specifically revealed details about his exit from Udinese.

He made it clear that a rejection for Tottenham led to the switch to Liverpool in 2008.

Dossena said: “I was doing very well; in January of that year, Tottenham wanted me. But President Pozzo turned it down. Juventus also came forward, but in the end, Liverpool won.

“I approached that adventure with the carefree attitude of a 25-year-old; I was disoriented. Now I’d enjoy everything with greater awareness.”

He was also asked whether the time at Liverpool was the best of his career.

The defender recalled: “Liverpool-Real Madrid, Champions League Round of 16 second leg 2008/09. We won 1-0 at the Bernabeu, but the return leg ended 4-0 to us. I’ve scored very little in my career, about ten goals.

“[I scored] One against Casillas in that match at Anfield. Four days later, I also found the net against United, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney, and Tevez.”

Our take: Liverpool wasn’t Dossena’s best

While the Italian would say otherwise, Andrea Dossena’s best didn’t come at Liverpool. He did play at the highest level and against some famous teams, but he probably achieved most at Napoli.

Apart from taking them back into the Champions League, he also helped them win the Coppa Italia in 2012. This sparked Napoli’s revival at the highest level, as they became regulars in the Champions League.

That indirectly also laid down the foundation for them to become Italian giants again. He also played 107 times in all competitions for the Naples side, assisting seven times.

Tottenham Hotspur‘s Luka Vušković has been struggling at Hamburg SV with an injury this month.

Last summer, the Premier League side let him join Hamburg on loan and the centre-back has impressed for them.

Since returning from the last international break, the defender started in 1-1 draw against FC Augsburg on April 4th.

The Croatia international has been on the sidelines since then with a knee injury and has missed two matches, during which the German club conceded seven goals.

In his last 11 matches, they conceded only 11 goals. This gives an idea of his importance at Hamburg.

On Monday, Sport Witness covered claims from Germany that he has damaged his knee, and his setback is much worse than initially expected.

Tottenham man to return on May 10th

Sportske Novosti looks at these claims and immediately dismiss any concern of a serious injury for Luka Vušković.

The Spurs man hasn’t suffered a new setback during the recovery process, which is going as per the plan. He picked up an injury in training and tests showed a ‘slight ligament sprain’.

Hamburg have held talks with Tottenham Hotspur and during these discussions, the two clubs agreed he would miss three to four matches.

Sportske Novosti aren’t certain when he could fully recover. The expectation is for him to miss the next two matches and return against SC Frieburg on May 10th.

Spurs medical staff decision makers

Hamburger Abendblatt, a newspaper local to the German club, also point out Tottenham Hotspur’s role in deciding Luka Vušković’s return.

Hamburg are hoping for the Croatian’s return against Hoffenheim later this weekend. The decision won’t be just down to them as Roberto De Zerbi’s side have a major say.

As part of the loan deal, Spurs inserted a clause to make decision on when the 18-year-old will return in case of an injury.

The Tottenham medical staff, along with their German counterpart, are examining the latest MRI scan results. Vušković can only return to the pitch once the Premier League side give the green light.

Our take: Tottenham clause make sense

After this season, Luka Vušković will return to the north London club, where he has a contract until 2030.

Spurs want to make sure to not rush the player back quickly. If the English club were to refuse to give the approval, it would make sense as it allows them to protect their asset to avoid aggravating the injury.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Randal Kolo Muani could extend his stay in the Premier League by making a switch to Liverpool.

Last summer, Tottenham signed the striker on loan from Paris Saint-Germain without a purchase clause.

Liverpool have set their sights on the 27-year-old despite his poor run with Tottenham.

The France international has five goals and four assists from 36 matches for the north London club.

His Premier League stats are as follows:

Appearances: 25

Starts: 17

Total minutes: 1,382

Minutes per game: 55

Goals: 1

Assists: 1

Expected Goals: 1.89

Expected Assists: 1,49

Big chances created: 1

Big chances missed: 6

Liverpool keen on Tottenham player

Arne Slot’s side have joined the chase for Randal Kolo Muani ahead of the summer. That’s according to Calciomercato.it, who cover the latest on Liverpool.

The 27-year-old will leave Tottenham Hotspur and return to PSG after this season. He no longer has a future under Luis Enrique with the Ligue 1 winners and will be on the move again.

Kolo Muani spent the second half of last season on loan at Juventus. He wanted to return last summer, but the Serie A side couldn’t find an agreement with PSG. The Old Lady want to make another attempt after this season.

Liverpool have entered the race, and ‘would be willing to accelerate’ their efforts to try and secure his services. This is ‘bad news’ for the Italian club.

Should the Anfield club acquire his signature, it will be a blow for Luciano Spalletti’s side and their fans, who have been dreaming of his return.

Liverpool star Hugo Ekitiké suffered a serious injury in the Champions League defeat to PSG last week.

Ekitiké will be on the sidelines for long and it would force Slot’s side to sign a new striker. Whether that will be the Tottenham player or another No.9 remains to be seen.

Contract, value and agent info

Randal Kolo Muani’s contract with PSG runs down in 2028. Transfermarkt value him at €22m and the highest was €80m in June 2023. Agent Moussa Sissoko is representing the Tottenham Hotspur player.

Earlier this month, Sport Witness relayed news the Frenchman’s entourage are looking for a permanent transfer in the summer.

If Liverpool are indeed keen, there shouldn’t be an issue for them to convince PSG with an offer.

Radu Dragusin has had a mixed spell at Tottenham, since joining from Genoa in 2024. Now, attempts to help him seal an exit are gathering pace.

In January, Sport Witness closely covered Italian interest in the defender. AS Roma were particularly pushing for his signature, as AC Milan also attempted a move.

Neither were succesful, as Tottenham didn’t budge from their position over a permanent deal. No interested Serie A sides could afford the €25m requested, only wanting initial loans.

Since January, things haven’t really changed for Dragusin. He has started six Premier League games, having been left on the bench for the last three outings.

Now, those around the Romanian are pushing for an exit.

Dragusin keen on transfer

SpotMedia in Romania report that the centre-back has lost his patience with the London club. He is very frustrated with the playing time on offer, last starting a league game on the 15th of March.

As a result, the 24-year-old has informed his agent Florin Manea about a desire to find a new club.

Talks are on with clubs in Italy and Germany already, with the specific names of the teams currently unknown. But it is very clear he will leave Tottenham, with the player ‘unhappy with his status’.

Spurs too, at their end, are ready to part ways in the summer. They feel his return since joining has been rather poor and this is making them evaluate a sale.

Dragusin better than back-up role

Since he joined Tottenham, Dragusin has been a squad player. This is mainly because of the presence of Micky Van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

The way he performed at Genoa, it is fair to say that he is better than being a back-up. While he isn’t excellent on the ball, Dragusin’s strengths always lay in his recovery and heading ability.

Only glimpses of that have been seen at Tottenham. He is still only 24 and working towards his peak. This makes 2026 the best time for Dragusin to seek a permanent transfer.

Inter Milan have been chasing Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario ahead of the summer transfer window.

Last week, Sport Witness covered claims from Italy that the Premier League side won’t oppose the 29-year-old’s exit.

Faced with the possibility of losing Vicario, Tottenham are looking at a few stoppers and Paris Saint-Germain’s Lucas Chevalier is on their list.

On March 11th, we relayed news of the France international as an option for Spurs. PSG invested around €55m to sign him from Lille in August 2025. The expectation was for him to be their No.1 but he hasn’t cemented his place yet.

Luis Enrique has favoured Matvey Safonov ahead of the 24-year-old for most part of this year. The latter hasn’t started since his side’s 1-0 win over AJ Auxerre on January 23rd.

Tottenham make approach for PSG player

RMC Sport discuss Lucas Chevalier’s current situation, his chances of making it to the World Cup, future and other topics.

He, at times appears to be alone within the dressing room and had a few disagreements earlier with a few senior players, but things are calmer now.

The Ligue 1 winners face FC Nantes on Wednesday and Angers at the weekend. Luis Enrique could start the stopper in one of the two matches, and if that happens, it may improve his chances of making it to the World Cup.

It’s unclear whether he’ll get more minutes until the end of the season.

After this season, the Frenchman will analyse his debut campaign in Paris before coming to future conclusions. He will also wait for what the French champions will decided for him.

Chevalier could study proposals if his situation doesn’t change in the coming weeks. This would please Tottenham Hotspur, who have already made contact to ask about his situation.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side have taken a step forward, but further progress will depend on where they’ll play next season. Spurs are 18th in the table, a point behind 17th placed West Ham United, who have a game in hand.

In short, Tottenham are ready to pounce, as long as they continue in the Premier League.

Transfermarkt value Lucas Chevalier, who has a contract until 2030, at €30m, a €10m drop from October.

Spurs’ remaining PL fixtures

The north London club have five more matches in the Premier League to avoid relegation.

Their remaining fixtures are

Tottenham Hotspur’s Luka Vušković has enjoyed a good run since joining Hamburg SV on loan last summer.

The centre-back has been an integral part of their back line this season and one of their standout players.

His form already caught the attention of the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, raising question marks over his Tottenham future.

The Croatia international has played 27 matches for the Bundesliga side and even scored five goals and contributed one assist.

His Bundesliga stats are as follows:

Appearances: 25

Interceptions per game: 1.2

Tackles per game: 0.8

Ball recovered per game: 4.4

Clearances per game: 9.1

Duels won per game: 7.6

He made one appearance since the last international break and has been on the sidelines since then.

Last Wednesday, Hamburg manager Merlin Polzin said he underwent intensive treatment for a knee injury.

Two days later, Sport Witness covered claims from Germany that the defender didn’t train last week. Despite this, Polzin wanted to risk him for the derby against Werder Bremen.

Update on Tottenham player’s injury

Luka Vušković travelled with the squad but didn’t feature in Hamburg’s 3-1 loss to Werder Bremen on Saturday.

Bild now report his situation is worrying because of the Tottenham Hotspur man’s injury is ‘much worse’ than initially presumed.

The 19-year-old’s joint is ‘severely damaged than previously thought’ and therefore, he’s likely to miss the clash against TSG Hoffenheim on April 25th.

In fact, the Spurs owned player hasn’t been training with the rest of the squad since April 7th.

His absence is a big blow for the German club, who let 13 goals in the last 11 matches he featured. In his absence, they conceded seven goals in the last two matches.

The newspaper makes no mention or indication as to when the defender would be back in action.

What next for Vušković and Tottenham

Roberto De Zerbi’s side and their medical staff would be keeping a close watch on Luka Vušković’s injury situation.