Sky Sports

How much have clubs spent on transfers during the summer window? We crunch the numbers...

This article was last updated on September 1 at 9.40pm. All transfer fees include potential add-ons and exclude undisclosed fees.

This article is being updated live, with numerous deal sheets submitted.

Premier League

Premier League clubs splashed a record-shattering £3bn on new signings during the summer window - soaring past the previous record of £2.46bn set in 2023.

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Clubs also set a record for the amount of money recouped from player sales at £1.76bn. All that buying and selling registered a net spend of £1.24bn.

Clubs splurged £237.2m on Deadline Day alone, sending the overall spend hurtling past the £3bn threshold for the first time in history - with outstanding deal sheets potentially increasing that figure.

Throughout the window, clubs typically spent steadily, during and after the first mini-transfer window before the Club World Cup.

Liverpool spent a record-breaking £446.5m during the window, while Chelsea became the first club to recoup more than £300m from sales.

In terms of net spend, Arsenal splashed a table-topping £257m, followed by Liverpool (218.4m), Spurs (£154.2m) and Manchester United (£152.5m).

At the other end of the scale, Bournemouth emerged from the window £66m in the black after offloading a raft of star players, including Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, Dango Ouattara and Milos Kerkez.

Alexander Isak was the most expensive signing in the window after Liverpool splashed £125m on the Newcastle striker - a new record for a Premier League signing.

Arne Slot's side also shelled out £116.5m on Florian Wirtz, while Hugo Ekitike (£79m, Eintracht Frankfurt to Liverpool), Benjamin Sesko (£73.7m, RB Leipzig to Man Utd), and Bryan Mbeumo (£71m, Brentford to Man Utd) also made big-money moves.

Along with Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, promoted clubs Burnley, Sunderland and Leeds were among the busiest recruiters - all signing 10 or more players.

Forest also shipped a table-topping 26 players out on permanent deals, followed by Palace (24), Brighton and Chelsea (both 23).

Championship

Championship clubs also set a record with £201.2m spent and £411m recouped, resulting in a £209.8 net profit.

Ambitious, promoted clubs Wrexham and Birmingham, and Swansea led the way for net spend, while Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich - who all suffered relegation from the Premier League last term - registered the highest net profits.

Four clubs were inactive during the window: Portsmouth, Charlton, Blackburn and Oxford.

Sindre Walle Egeli (£17.5m, Ipswich from FC Nordsjaelland), Finn Azaz (£15m, Southampton from Middlesbrough) and Kasey McAteer (£15m, Ipswich from Leicester) were among the most expensive incomings.

Meanwhile, the sales of Mateus Fernandes (£42m, Southampton to West Ham), Tyler Dibling (£42m, Southampton to Everton), Omari Hutchinson (£37.5, Ipswich to Nottingham Forest) and Liam Delap (£30m, Ipswich to Chelsea) significantly boosted the selling clubs' coffers.

League One

You can use the interactive tables below to find out every signing and outgoing in League One this summer.

League Two

You can use the interactive tables below to find out every signing and outgoing in League Two this summer.

Scottish Premiership

The Scottish Premiership window closes on September 1 at 11pm.

You can use the interactive tables below to find out every signing and outgoing in the Scottish Premiership this summer.

Women's Super League

The WSL window closes on September 4 at 11pm.

Sky Sports' Charlotte Marsh:

So far, London City Lionesses have by far made the most signings of the window. They have signed the likes of Nikita Parris, Jana Fernandez, Danielle van de Donk and Katie Zelem just to name a few.

Meanwhile, Spurs have signed just one player under new manager Martin Ho.

Women's football reached a new milestone this summer with the first million-pound player as Arsenal signed Olivia Smith from Liverpool.

Serie A, LaLiga, Bundesliga and Ligue 1

The LaLiga window closes on September 1 at 10.59pm.

You can use the interactive tables below to find out every signing and outgoing in Europe's other top four leagues this summer.

Thomas Frank suffered his first Premier League defeat as Spurs head coach after Bournemouth deservedly won 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A woeful Spurs had just one shot on target, which came in the 68th minute, in a sorry performance that ended Frank’s honeymoon following opening league wins against Burnley and Manchester City. There were boos from the home fans at the full-time whistle.

Spurs could have moved top with a win over Bournemouth, but the visitors looked like the team aiming for the summit with an outstanding performance in north London that saw them have 19 shots, with six on target.

As it happened | Teams | Match stats

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Their very first effort in the fifth minute put them ahead as centre-back Marcos Senesi picked out an unmarked Evanilson inside the box, and he hit a shot that deflected off Spurs captain Cristian Romero to loop over goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

It was Spurs’ first Premier League goal conceded under Frank, and they should have been 2-0 down before half-time as Evanilson dragged wide quickly after, before Antoine Semenyo headed over from close range.

A dismal first half from Spurs saw the home side fail to have a shot as they sorely lacked creativity that the club hope new £51m signing Xavi Simons will bring, with the attacker watching on after his presentation before kick-off.

The Cherries’ one-way traffic continued early in the second half as Vicario made good saves to deny Semenyo and Evanilson, with Brooks hitting the bar from the latter’s rebound.

Despite changes from Frank, Spurs failed to trouble Bournemouth with substitutes Wilson Odobert blasting over in the 79th minute and Mathys Tel volleying wide in stoppage time.

Andoni Iroala’s side held on to win back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since January, while Frank has plenty to ponder during the upcoming international break.

Frank: I understand boos

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank speaking at this post-match press conference on the boos:

"I prefer them not to boo, but I understand it was not a good performance today and they have high expectations, which is absolutely fair.

"Let's say we performed even better but we could still lose a football match. Today, I don't think we hit the level we should."

On the loss: "I think we clearly didn't perform well today. I think we played against a very good Bournemouth team that we know can make it difficult for any team in the league.

"We knew exactly what they came with, and we trained for it but we just didn't handle it well enough in terms of the balls behind and the second ball, and the duels in the middle of the park - that's the defensive side of it.

"On the offensive side, we struggled to find a good enough solution to get through phase one and two, so we could get up there and put a bit of pressure on them. We only did that in the last 15, where we put good pressure and we could have equalised, but I think over the game it was fair that Bournemouth won."

Iroala: We could've been punished for lack of killer instinct

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola speaking at this post-match press conference on their lack of killer instinct:

"Definitely something that could have punished us at the end. Every chance we were missing, normally in this kind of stadiums, when you start missing chances there is a moment you regret and we were regretting at the end when we were finishing very tired with some players cramping.

"I don't think we deserve to concede in that moment, but it can happen and we've had to close it together. A little bit like the other day against Wolves, we haven't killed the game earlier but we haven't been punished."

On the win: "Very pleased with the performance. At the beginning of the season, you have to trust the performances and I've liked almost everything today about the team.

"I think scoring early makes your game probably easier in the sense of that it gives you some confidence and boost of energy, but we haven't conceded chances against a team that is very good, plays very well, so especially happy for this."

Analysis: Frank brought back down to earth - but Simons provides creative hope

This was a reality check for Thomas Frank.

After the highs of winning at Manchester City, Spurs put in a dreadful display against Bournemouth that has punctured the air of optimism under the Dane.

One fan departing the stadium at full-time shouted 'Same old Spurs', and it was considering they came into this with a chance of moving top and maintaining a perfect start.

Those wins against Burnley and Manchester City proved a false dawn as Spurs looked clueless against an outstanding Bournemouth.

On the day Spurs found out their fixture dates for the Champions League, you would have thought Bournemouth were the team to be facing Villarreal at home on September 16, such was the dominance and slickness in their display.

A toothless Spurs had just five shots against the Cherries, while Frank's side failed to have a single shot in the first half of a Premier League home game since February 2020.

How Frank could have done with his new £51m signing Xavi Simons on Saturday afternoon.

Frank said of Simons at his post-match press conference: "Sometimes you need a player that can do something a little bit out of nothing, go past a player, produce a cross, a shot, a pass, with that extra quality that you need on the day, and that's what I think he can bring."

Spurs will desperately be hoping the Netherlands international can add some sparkle and guile, because the boos will only get louder if Tottenham put in more performances like this.

Story of the match in stats...

What's coming up in the Premier League?

Thomas Frank suffered his first Premier League defeat as Spurs head coach after Bournemouth deservedly won 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A woeful Spurs had just one shot on target, which came in the 68th minute, in a sorry performance that ended Frank’s honeymoon following opening league wins against Burnley and Manchester City. There were boos from the home fans at the full-time whistle.

Spurs could have moved top with a win over Bournemouth, but the visitors looked like the team aiming for the summit with an outstanding performance in north London that saw them have 19 shots, with six on target.

As it happened | Teams | Match stats

Live Premier League table | Watch PL highlights for free

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Their very first effort in the fifth minute put them ahead as centre-back Marcos Senesi picked out an unmarked Evanilson inside the box, and he hit a shot that deflected off Spurs captain Cristian Romero to loop over goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

It was Spurs’ first Premier League goal conceded under Frank, and they should have been 2-0 down before half-time as Evanilson dragged wide quickly after, before Antoine Semenyo headed over from close range.

A dismal first half from Spurs saw the home side fail to have a shot as they sorely lacked creativity that the club hope new £51m signing Xavi Simons will bring, with the attacker watching on after his presentation before kick-off.

The Cherries’ one-way traffic continued early in the second half as Vicario made good saves to deny Semenyo and Evanilson, with Brooks hitting the bar from the latter’s rebound.

Despite changes from Frank, Spurs failed to trouble Bournemouth with substitutes Wilson Odobert blasting over in the 79th minute and Mathys Tel volleying wide in stoppage time.

Andoni Iroala’s side held on to win back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since January, while Frank has plenty to ponder during the upcoming international break.

Frank: I understand boos

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank speaking at this post-match press conference on the boos:

"I prefer them not to boo, but I understand it was not a good performance today and they have high expectations, which is absolutely fair.

"Let's say we performed even better but we could still lose a football match. Today, I don't think we hit the level we should."

On the loss: "I think we clearly didn't perform well today. I think we played against a very good Bournemouth team that we know can make it difficult for any team in the league.

"We knew exactly what they came with, and we trained for it but we just didn't handle it well enough in terms of the balls behind and the second ball, and the duels in the middle of the park - that's the defensive side of it.

"On the offensive side, we struggled to find a good enough solution to get through phase one and two, so we could get up there and put a bit of pressure on them. We only did that in the last 15, where we put good pressure and we could have equalised, but I think over the game it was fair that Bournemouth won."

Iroala: We could've been punished for lack of killer instinct

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola speaking at this post-match press conference on their lack of killer instinct:

"Definitely something that could have punished us at the end. Every chance we were missing, normally in this kind of stadiums, when you start missing chances there is a moment you regret and we were regretting at the end when we were finishing very tired with some players cramping.

"I don't think we deserve to concede in that moment, but it can happen and we've had to close it together. A little bit like the other day against Wolves, we haven't killed the game earlier but we haven't been punished."

On the win: "Very pleased with the performance. At the beginning of the season, you have to trust the performances and I've liked almost everything today about the team.

"I think scoring early makes your game probably easier in the sense of that it gives you some confidence and boost of energy, but we haven't conceded chances against a team that is very good, plays very well, so especially happy for this."

Analysis: Frank brought back down to earth - but Simons provides creative hope

This was a reality check for Thomas Frank.

After the highs of winning at Manchester City, Spurs put in a dreadful display against Bournemouth that has punctured the air of optimism under the Dane.

One fan departing the stadium at full-time shouted 'Same old Spurs', and it was considering they came into this with a chance of moving top and maintaining a perfect start.

Those wins against Burnley and Manchester City proved a false dawn as Spurs looked clueless against an outstanding Bournemouth.

On the day Spurs found out their fixture dates for the Champions League, you would have thought Bournemouth were the team to be facing Villarreal at home on September 16, such was the dominance and slickness in their display.

A toothless Spurs had just five shots against the Cherries, while Frank's side failed to have a single shot in the first half of a Premier League home game since February 2020.

How Frank could have done with his new £51m signing Xavi Simons on Saturday afternoon.

Frank said of Simons at his post-match press conference: "Sometimes you need a player that can do something a little bit out of nothing, go past a player, produce a cross, a shot, a pass, with that extra quality that you need on the day, and that's what I think he can bring."

Spurs will desperately be hoping the Netherlands international can add some sparkle and guile, because the boos will only get louder if Tottenham put in more performances like this.

Story of the match in stats...

What's coming up in the Premier League?

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Thomas Frank suffered his first Premier League defeat as Spurs head coach after Bournemouth deservedly won 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A woeful Spurs had just one shot on target, which came in the 68th minute, in a sorry performance that ended Frank’s honeymoon following opening league wins against Burnley and Manchester City. There were boos from the home fans at the full-time whistle.

Spurs could have moved top with a win over Bournemouth, but the visitors looked like the team aiming for the summit with an outstanding performance in north London that saw them have 19 shots, with six on target.

As it happened | Teams | Match stats

Live Premier League table | Watch PL highlights for free

Got Sky? Watch PL games LIVE on your phone📱

Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺

Their very first effort in the fifth minute put them ahead as centre-back Marcos Senesi picked out an unmarked Evanilson inside the box, and he hit a shot that deflected off Spurs captain Cristian Romero to loop over goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

It was Spurs’ first Premier League goal conceded under Frank, and they should have been 2-0 down before half-time as Evanilson dragged wide quickly after, before Antoine Semenyo headed over from close range.

A dismal first half from Spurs saw the home side fail to have a shot as they sorely lacked creativity that the club hope new £51m signing Xavi Simons will bring, with the attacker watching on after his presentation before kick-off.

The Cherries’ one-way traffic continued early in the second half as Vicario made good saves to deny Semenyo and Evanilson, with Brooks hitting the bar from the latter’s rebound.

Despite changes from Frank, Spurs failed to trouble Bournemouth with substitutes Wilson Odobert blasting over in the 79th minute and Mathys Tel volleying wide in stoppage time.

Andoni Iroala’s side held on to win back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since January, while Frank has plenty to ponder during the upcoming international break.

Frank: I understand boos

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank speaking at this post-match press conference on the boos:

"I prefer them not to boo, but I understand it was not a good performance today and they have high expectations, which is absolutely fair.

"Let's say we performed even better but we could still lose a football match. Today, I don't think we hit the level we should."

On the loss: "I think we clearly didn't perform well today. I think we played against a very good Bournemouth team that we know can make it difficult for any team in the league.

"We knew exactly what they came with, and we trained for it but we just didn't handle it well enough in terms of the balls behind and the second ball, and the duels in the middle of the park - that's the defensive side of it.

"On the offensive side, we struggled to find a good enough solution to get through phase one and two, so we could get up there and put a bit of pressure on them. We only did that in the last 15, where we put good pressure and we could have equalised, but I think over the game it was fair that Bournemouth won."

Iroala: We could've been punished for lack of killer instinct

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola speaking at this post-match press conference on their lack of killer instinct:

"Definitely something that could have punished us at the end. Every chance we were missing, normally in this kind of stadiums, when you start missing chances there is a moment you regret and we were regretting at the end when we were finishing very tired with some players cramping.

"I don't think we deserve to concede in that moment, but it can happen and we've had to close it together. A little bit like the other day against Wolves, we haven't killed the game earlier but we haven't been punished."

On the win: "Very pleased with the performance. At the beginning of the season, you have to trust the performances and I've liked almost everything today about the team.

"I think scoring early makes your game probably easier in the sense of that it gives you some confidence and boost of energy, but we haven't conceded chances against a team that is very good, plays very well, so especially happy for this."

Analysis: Frank brought back down to earth - but Simons provides creative hope

This was a reality check for Thomas Frank.

After the highs of winning at Manchester City, Spurs put in a dreadful display against Bournemouth that has punctured the air of optimism under the Dane.

One fan departing the stadium at full-time shouted 'Same old Spurs', and it was considering they came into this with a chance of moving top and maintaining a perfect start.

Those wins against Burnley and Manchester City proved a false dawn as Spurs looked clueless against an outstanding Bournemouth.

On the day Spurs found out their fixture dates for the Champions League, you would have thought Bournemouth were the team to be facing Villarreal at home on September 16, such was the dominance and slickness in their display.

A toothless Spurs had just five shots against the Cherries, while Frank's side failed to have a single shot in the first half of a Premier League home game since February 2020.

How Frank could have done with his new £51m signing Xavi Simons on Saturday afternoon.

Frank said of Simons at his post-match press conference: "Sometimes you need a player that can do something a little bit out of nothing, go past a player, produce a cross, a shot, a pass, with that extra quality that you need on the day, and that's what I think he can bring."

Spurs will desperately be hoping the Netherlands international can add some sparkle and guile, because the boos will only get louder if Tottenham put in more performances like this.

Story of the match in stats...

What's coming up in the Premier League?

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Tottenham have completed the signing of Chelsea target Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £51m.

The 22-year-old had been of interest to Chelsea all summer, but Spurs swiftly moved ahead of their London rivals to complete a deal for Simons.

"Noise? Don't listen to it all, only what matters. Tottenham called and I answered," Simons said in his announcement video, seemingly in reference to links to Chelsea.

Simons signing an opportunity Spurs could not miss

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Sky Sports News understands the Netherlands international has signed an initial five-year deal plus two optional years

Simons is expected to be presented to the Spurs fans ahead of Saturday's Premier League home game against Bournemouth.

Chelsea decided not to bid for Simons due to having other targets, as they look to complete a £40m deal for Alejandro Garnacho, while their valuation of Simons was £43.3m (€50m) to £47.6m (€55m).

Simons' arrival at Tottenham ends their hunt for a new 'No 10', having frustratingly missed out on previous targets.

Spurs failed in their pursuit of Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White earlier this summer, before north London rivals Arsenal hijacked their move for Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze.

The capture of the versatile Simons, though, will be of great relief to boss Thomas Frank, who lost James Maddison to a serious knee injury at the start of August, which will sideline the England international for the majority of this season.

Simons, who had also been of interest to Bayern Munich, becomes Spurs' seventh summer signing to take their spending past £170m.

Sky Sports News understands signing a left-winger is still a target for Spurs in the final days of the window.

Simons reveals Frank talks key in move

Simons revealed how talks with boss Thomas Frank were key in his move.

He told the club's official website: "I'm really happy and can't wait to get going. I've been dreaming of this for a long time.

"It's a great club and when I met the head coach I knew straight away that this was the right place for me.

"I will bring flair to the team, but also hard work and discipline. I want to do everything I can to win, for the team and also for the fans."

Simons will wear ex-captain Heung-Min Son's No 7 shirt at Spurs after the forward left the club this summer to join LAFC.

"The year at PSV, (7) was the number that I had," Simons said. "I had a really good season as well and the national team I’m number seven as well, so for me this was the best option.

“He [Son] made his own story with this number. I think he deserves it as well. The way people treat him in the club, not only in the club but the fans as well, they love him. Everyone loves Son.

“Hopefully I can make my own story with it. I know it’s a big responsibility, but I’m ready to take it and ready to make my own story!"

A product of Barcelona’s La Masia academy, Simons moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 as a teenager before he made headlines during a productive loan spell at PSV in the 2022/23 campaign.

Simons would spend the next two seasons at Leipzig, scoring 22 goals in 78 appearances before his move was made permanent earlier this year.

Frank said: "I’m really pleased we have brought Xavi in - he is a great addition to the squad.

"He is still young, however, he already has good experience and, over the past few years, has played a lot of games at the top level.

"Xavi has proven his ability to get goals and assists, both from the No 10 position and left-wing. He also has a great eye for his team-mates in terms of unlocking defences, and I know he will come in and be part of a good team that is already working hard together.”

Simons signing is an opportunity Spurs could not miss

Simons moving to Tottenham represents an exciting addition to the Premier League. This is a player long regarded as one of the top young talents in Europe – and he showed glimpses of that ability despite it being a more difficult season for RB Leipzig.

There are those top-line numbers. Ten goals and seven assists in the Bundesliga, even as Leipzig missed out on Europe for the first time since their elevation to the top division. He ranked in the top 10 for goals from open play and big chances created.

But it was another statistic, the fact that Simons also ranked among the top 10 players for possession won in the final third, that really cuts to the heart of what can make him so good.

It is why Simons remains so attractive. Thomas Frank and Tottenham have been eyeing a No 10 all summer, pursuing Morgan Gibbs-White even before James Maddison suffered a serious injury. They have energy in midfield but combining that with craft is the key.

There are some gifted players around, individuals able to provide that spark, but finding those capable of doing the work out of possession, playing at high intensity, is difficult. They are at a premium. Simons has demonstrated that ability from the outset.

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Xavi Simons moving to Tottenham represents an exciting addition to the Premier League. This is a player long regarded as one of the top young talents in Europe – and he showed glimpses of that ability despite it being a more difficult season for RB Leipzig.

There are those top-line numbers. Ten goals and seven assists in the Bundesliga, even as Leipzig missed out on Europe for the first time since their elevation to the top division. He ranked in the top 10 for goals from open play and big chances created.

But it was another statistic, the fact that Simons also ranked among the top 10 players for possession won in the final third, that really cuts to the heart of what can make him so good. The scatter charts below highlights just what a rare combination that this is.

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It is why Simons remains so attractive. Thomas Frank and Tottenham have been eyeing a No 10 all summer, pursuing Morgan Gibbs-White even before James Maddison suffered a serious injury. They have energy in midfield but combining that with craft is the key.

There are some gifted players around, individuals able to provide that spark, but finding those capable of doing the work out of possession, playing at high intensity, is difficult. They are at a premium. Simons has demonstrated that ability from the outset.

Javier Rabanal, his coach at PSV, did not know what to expect when a teenage Simons turned up in Eindhoven on loan from Paris Saint-Germain. Despite his reputation as a child prodigy, he had made only a handful of senior appearance for the French club.

"Nobody really knew," Rabanal tells Sky Sports. "But what surprised us, at first, was his capacity to defend, to press after the ball was lost. He was really aggressive going after ever lost ball. He wanted to be the first to press, to really put all his energy into it."

Rabanal attributes that to Simons' background - and it is a cosmopolitan one. A Netherlands international, partly of Surinamese descent, he moved to Spain as a child and was part of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy long before he was a teenager.

He was eventually snaffled away from Catalonia by PSG but those principles of pressing were already ingrained. "This is something that is really appreciated at Barca," explains Rabanal. "He was so aggressive. Everybody recognised him as a potential top talent."

That season at PSV was pivotal in his career, leading to him winning his first caps for the Netherlands. Rabanal recalls the 2022 Johan Cruyff Shield game against Ajax in front of 52,000 in Amsterdam when he scored to seal a 5-3 win. "He was really dynamic."

Rabanal, assistant coach to Ruud van Nistelrooy that season, adds: "It was against Go Ahead Eagles away that he scored two goals [in a 5-2 win] and after that he started playing. He was in the team all season, as a winger or inside as a No 8 or a No 10."

There was an assist for Fabio Silva "with the outside of the foot" that stood out as particularly special. Then there was the final game of the season away to AZ Alkmaar when PSV needed a result to be sure of qualifying for next season's Champions League.

"Xavi scored twice even, the second of them when we already playing with 10 players. That goal showed what he was all about because he could have gone down but he preferred to score than fall." He got his goal to finish as joint-top scorer in the Eredivisie.

Such performances earned him a loan move to Leipzig, where he scored eight goals in his debut season and impressed enough for the German club to make him their club-record signing midway through the last campaign, even as the team was faltering.

Speaking to Marcel Schafer, Leipzig's sporting director, he described Simons as "one of the best players in Europe" and it was easy to see why the player saw it as the right move at the time. Leipzig have a reputation for a high-intensity brand of football.

"He was very clear about his personal career plan." Ironically, paying a fee for Simons that could have risen north of €80m with performance-related add-ons was a deviation from Leipzig's long-held strategy. They overstretched and it changed Simons' plan.

The result is that even at 22 this is a player whose own ambitions can no longer be matched by Leipzig - and this is where the opportunity comes for club and the player. Spurs offer Champions League football. He offers creativity in the final third.

He has already shown his quality in different environments and in different positions. On the pitch, he is an asset in and out of possession, a scorer and a creator. "He scores goals but he is not selfish," says Rabanal. "If he has the chance, he wants assists too."

Off the pitch, his desire to leave Leipzig is unlikely to raise too many alarms at Tottenham. "He is a really professional worker, doing the extra work in the gym, the extra work with his own physiotherapist," adds Rabanal. "He is always focused on playing football."

If there was a concern at Chelsea, it was that Simons is a talent who benefits from the team being built around him and that would not be possible with Cole Palmer around. At Tottenham, there is a vacancy for a match-winner. Xavi Simons could be that man.