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A former Chelsea winger believes that Xavi Simons was right in choosing to move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium rather than Stamford Bridge.

It initially looked like the attacking midfielder was on his way to the West London club in the summer. In fact, at one point, it was even reported that Chelsea had agreed personal terms with Xavi.

Xavi’s agent confirmed that there was ‘genuine interest’ from the Blues, but explained that the Tottenham project really appealed to the Dutchman.

Just a few weeks ago, some pundits were suggesting that Spurs had wasted the £51m they spent on the Netherlands international, but the 22-year-old has silenced his critics with his last two performances.

Former Chelsea star believes Xavi Simons will be happy with Tottenham decision

The former RB Leipzig man has delivered two back-to-back Man of the Match performances against Brentford and Slavia Prague, and appears to have turned a corner.

Former Blues star Bolo Zenden believes that Xavi’s decision to move to the North London club over Enzo Marseca’s side is now being vindicated.

Zenden told BetVictor: “I don’t know how close he was to signing for Chelsea – I think as a player you always have to see where you have the most chance of playing, where you think you can develop most, and you only develop if you’re playing.

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“I think Xavi Simons is happy at Spurs. It’s a big club, big team, fantastic stadium, and the training facilities are second to none. Of course, he probably made the right decision. If you go to a team, you have to look at what the manager likes, their view on how to play, and if it fits you as a player.

“I wasn’t sure when I saw him at Tottenham if he was playing as a nine or as a 10? Has he got a bit of a free role in there? And maybe that’s something that suits him best.

“Who knows what would’ve happened if he signed for Chelsea? He maybe wouldn’t have that sort of freedom that he gets now at Spurs. It’s always difficult to make certain decisions, but it’s always nice when it works out well. And I think the people at Spurs are happy that he’s there at the moment.”

Has Xavi made the number 10 role at Spurs his own?

Interestingly, since his arrival at the club in the summer, Tottenham have not won a game where Xavi has not started.

During the last two games, the 22-year-old showed exactly what Spurs were missing in the middle of the park, especially at home against teams that defend deep.

The Netherlands international has more than earned a run of starts in the number ten role, and Tottenham fans will be hoping that he goes from strength to strength.

Journalist and talkSPORT presenter Jeff Stelling expects reality to set in at Tottenham on Sunday after two back-to-back victories.

Thomas Frank was under immense pressure until last week, but two comprehensive wins at home against Brentford and Slavia Prague have changed the mood around the club.

There is now cautious optimism among Tottenham Hotspur fans, who will be hoping that their team can now string a run of wins together.

Up next is a trip to City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest, which will be viewed as a winnable game by Spurs, given that Forest are just two points off the drop zone.

Jeff Stelling expects Nottingham Forest to beat Tottenham

Opta’s supercomputer considers Spurs marginal favourites at the City Ground, but Stelling disagrees.

The presenter expects Sean Dyche’s men to hand Tottenham their second away Premier League defeat in three matches.

Stelling told talkSPORT: “Despite Dyche’s arrival at Forest, they’re still in trouble,” he told talkSPORT. “I think they’ll certainly get out of it, but they have to travel to Europe in midweek, while Spurs stayed at home.

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“Xavi Simons has finally come to the party as far as Tottenham are concerned, but Forest did the double in this fixture last season and I think they can just shade this one again.”

Prediction: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Tottenham

Competition for places is intensifying at Spurs

Thomas Frank has not been shy of rotating his squad over the last month, and many players who have come into the team have delivered strong performances.

There will certainly be a hunger among the midfielders and forwards to prove their mettle and establish themselves as regulars in the starting eleven.

Xavi Simons has revealed which Premier League player surprised him the most when he played against them for Tottenham Hotspur.

There was a lot of optimism when Xavi Simons made the switch from RB Leipzig to Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth £51m.

However, the midfielder struggled in his opening matches for the club, causing a pile-on from the ever-critical English press.

This has allowed Simons to surprise people in the past couple of weeks with some brilliant performances, and according to the 22-year-old, he himself has been surprised by a player Spurs have come up against.

Xavi Simons lauds Everton midfielder James Garner

Simons has recently made an appearance on The Wayne Rooney Show, and he was asked if there are any players he has faced in the Premier League who have surprised him.

He responded: “The one that surprised me was, I guess Everton, was I knew because of the youth teams he played in Manchester United, James Garner.

“He’s older than me, but I knew. Now, when I played against him, I felt like, okay, technically with the ball he is, I think he’s really good.”

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Tottenham thrashed Everton 3-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in October, but Garner has been playing well for the team who sit four places above Spurs in the Premier League table.

Simons has been impressive for Tottenham too

While Simons has heaped praise on Garner, there are likely a few players who have been left impressed by the Spurs attacker.

Simons might not have made the best start at Tottenham, but he seems to get better every time he plays, and other players in the league will notice this soon enough.

Xavi Simons has revealed why he wanted to join Tottenham and his comments might not go down well with players in other European countries.

Tottenham Hotspur have not been very consistent in the Premier League since the days of Mauricio Pochettino, yet the North London side remain an attractive destination.

Spurs have a world-class stadium and training facilities and are the reigning champions of the Europa League. It is therefore unsurprising that some big names were brought to the club last summer, including Simons.

The Dutch midfielder has spoken positively about Tottenham when explaining why he decided to make the move from RB Leipzig. As well as this, he has revealed something about why the English top flight in particular was where he wished to end up.

Xavi Simons waxes lyrical about Tottenham and the Premier League

Simons has made an appearance on The Wayne Rooney Show to discuss his move to England and he has described the project at Spurs as ‘really exciting’.

As well as this, the 22-year-old has said something about the Premier League which his former teammates and rivals in the Bundesliga will not appreciate.

Xavi Simons said: “I wanted to play in the best league in the world and prove to myself I could do it.

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“That is the motivation I’ve always had. With no disrespect to any other league, there is everything here – technical players, physical players and tactical coaches.

“The project at Tottenham is really exciting too. We have a lot of good, young players in the squad and that is what got me most excited.

“I want to win titles this year and I want to compete for everything, so this was the right decision for me.”

In order to be a success in the best league football has to offer, Simons has to be mentally strong. When asked about having a strong mindset at such a young age, he replied: “The mentality I have is because of my mum. I have the same mentality as her.

“If I had to describe my mindset in one word, it would be discipline. I never negotiate with myself and I know what I have to give up to get to where I want to be.

“A lot of things can happen to you as a footballer, in a positive way and a negative way, but the one thing you have to keep is discipline. That is a non-negotiable for me.

“Every day I wake up and say to myself: ‘I need to stand up. Today is a new day and a new journey.'”

Simons has shown resilience at Spurs

Life in North London has already faced Xavi Simons with a host of obstacles to navigate and he has already had to spend more than his fair share of time on the Tottenham bench.

However, Thomas Frank has been full of praise for Simons, as the midfield maestro has upped his game and delivered strong performances in recent weeks.

With both a strong mindset and excellent footballing abilities, Simons has the potential to go a long way at Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur will hope to make it 3 wins in a row when they face Nottingham Forest away on Sunday.

Thomas Frank and his players turn their attention back to the Premier League following their midweek 3-0 Champions League win against Slavia Prague. It’s a regained-momentum Tottenham team that went winless through the whole of November but are now unbeaten in their last 3 in all competitions.

Despite that upturn, Spurs still sit in the bottom half of the table with 22 points from 15 matches, only made better by the 2-0 win against Brentford at the weekend.

Over at the City Ground, Sean Dyche has steadied things at a club that had already gone through two managers before him this season. After spending large stretches of this campaign in the relegation zone, Dyche has managed to drag them up to 17th. Their 3-0 defeat to Everton at the weekend was responded to well with a 1-2 away win over FC Utrecht in the Europa League on Wednesday.

What time does Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Hotspur kick off?

Location: Nottinghamshire, England

Stadium: The City Ground

Date: Sunday, 14 December 2025

Kick-off time: 2 pm BST

Referee: Sam Barrott

VAR: Andrew Madley

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Hotspur: Head-to-head record

Having lost six consecutive Premier League games against Spurs between 1998 and 2024, Nuno Espirito Santo’s Forest pulled off a surprise league double last season, their first ever against Tottenham.

Their only other win came in the 2022 Carabao Cup, where Forest beat Antonio Conte’s Spurs 2-0. That said, every other meeting since Forest returned to the top flight has ended in a Tottenham win.

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Tottenham team news

Thomas Frank shared some tough news this week, confirming that Destiny Udogie is ruled out until next year at least. That leaves Spurs short of natural full-back options.

On a brighter note, Ben Davies made his return from injury in the 3-0 win against Slavia Prague and even slotted in at left-back, suggesting that this is something Frank wants to try for this match.

Frank also revealed that Brennan Johnson was “touch and go” for midweek, but the Welshman didn’t make the squad, so we’ll have to see what Frank says about him on Saturday.

Radu Dragușin and Kota Takai have been building fitness with the U21s, and either could make a matchday squad for the first time this season. The confirmed absentees remain Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, and Dejan Kulusevski.

Nottingham Forest team news

Matz Sels missed the Europa League win with a groin issue, leaving his involvement in doubt. If Dyche confirms his absence, he becomes the second injured Forest goalkeeper after Angus Gunn.

Forest are still dealing with a long list of injuries, including last season’s top scorer Chris Wood, Taiwo Awoniyi, captain Ryan Yates, and Ola Aina.

Predicted Tottenham line-up

Vicario, Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Davies, Bentancur, Simons, Bergvall, Kudus, Kolo Muani, Odobert

Our prediction

For years, Spurs barely had a storyline with Forest, given that Tottenham won almost every time, and there wasn’t the slightest bit of rivalry.

This season has changed the mood completely, starting with Spurs triggering Morgan Gibbs-White’s release clause and even scheduling his medical. However, a list of stubborn hurdles placed by their chairman, Evangelos Marinakis, saw the deal collapse. That frustration only grew when Forest sacked Spurs’ own Europa League-winning manager Ange Postecoglou, after just eight matches in charge for them.

That’s why Gibbs-White will be the obvious man to watch, as Spurs’ missed targets have had a habit of haunting them this season.

From a Tottenham perspective, keep an eye on Xavi Simons. He scored his first goal for the club last weekend and added another from the penalty spot in midweek. His link-up with Odobert against Murillo and Milenkovic could decide how smoothly Spurs attack.

Given Forest’s inconsistencies and Spurs’ renewed confidence, we expect Tottenham to manage this one well.

Paul Merson has made his prediction for Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest, but the ex-Arsenal player has failed to explain why he expects the result he has gone for.

Tottenham Hotspur have finally found some form, with a draw at St James’ Park followed by recent victories over Brentford and Slavia Prague.

Critics will argue that this is not merely down to Thomas Frank and his team. Instead, it is due to the nature of the opponents they have faced.

However, even with this logic applied, Spurs should feel confident coming up against a Nottingham Forest side that sit 17th in the Premier League table.

Paul Merson predicts a Tottenham defeat to Forest

Paul Merson has made his weekly Premier League predictions and he has acknowledged how Spurs have improved in recent weeks.

He has been less positive about Nottingham Forest, describing the East Midlands outfit as ‘inconsistent’ in the top flight.

Despite this assessment, Merson has bizarrely predicted a defeat for Tottenham this weekend without giving his reasoning.

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He told Sportskeeda: “Nottingham Forest have become a bit inconsistent now. After that impressive win against Liverpool, Sean Dyche’s men have lost two out of their next three league games.

“Tottenham, on the other hand, have had consecutive wins at home. It’s a good sign if you’re a Spurs fan because they have struggled to get results on home turf this season.

“If they don’t get a result against Forest, Tottenham could end up staying in the bottom half of the table. But if they win and Chelsea lose, they have the chance to go above the Blues. That’s how tight it is in the points table now, madness when you think of it!”

Merson’s prediction: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs could rise up the Premier League table with a victory

If Merson is correct, Tottenham could finish the weekend as low as 13th. However, a win over Nottingham Forest could see them re-enter the European spots.

Therefore, it is of great importance that Spurs are able to continue their winning run and claim all three points on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur’s chances of landing their top target in January just took another blow as Man United enter the £65m race.

The January transfer window is almost here, and Tottenham Hotspur could be one of the busier sides as they look to strengthen Thomas Frank’s squad.

The Lewis Family has injected £100 million into the club ahead of the winter window, and fans will want to see that money spent on big-name signings.

Antoine Semenyo is one name that has been linked with Tottenham, but signing the Bournemouth forward will be difficult given the competition for his signature.

Man United ready to trigger Antoine Semenyo clause as Tottenham monitor situation

Semenyo has a £65 million release clause set to become active in the middle of the winter window, allowing any club that can match it to make a move for the wide forward.

TeamTalk are now reporting that Man United are adamant that they will be able to meet Antoine Semenyo’s release clause in January.

The 25-year-old has been in top form, having scored six times this season and assisting three goal and it is no surprise that several clubs hold interest in him.

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United’s belief now adds to the growing list of suitors Tottenham need to fend off if they are to land the Ghana international.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are also interested in the Bournemouth star, with United now weighing up whether to go head-to-head with Liverpool to sign Semenyo, Spurs’ chances look rather slim.

Spurs face tough task as Antoine Semenyo weighs up options

It is believed that Semenyo is expected to favour Liverpool, and that is a blow for everyone involved, including Spurs.

The Reds could do with options out wide, and following Salah’s latest remarks on Slot and the club’s ownership, this could push Liverpool to increase their pursuit of Semenyo.

Manchester United, however, will not back down easily as they believe they can secure European football next season, and as such, they need more depth in their squad, leaving Tottenham with a mountain to climb in January.

Tottenham Hotspur could keep an eye on things over at IF Brommapojkarna as Lucas Bergvall’s younger brother signs his first pro contract.

Tottenham Hotspur are not scared to take a punt on youth, and in the last two seasons, their young signings have looked impressive.

Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray are two players who naturally come to mind when thinking of the future of Tottenham, as both midfielders have already shown that they possess the tools needed to grow into influential figures.

The pair have even received high praise from Glenn Hoodle, who believes they will only get better and better in a Spurs shirt.

Lucas Bergvall’s little brother signs first pro contract

Much like Gray, who has a sibling, Harry, Bergvall also has siblings of his own. Lucas Bergvall’s older brother, Theo, 21 years of age, plays for Djurgarden, where Lucas first brought himself to the attention of wider football.

However, there is now a new Bergvall on the blocks, as Fotbolldirekt reports that 17-year-old Rasmus Bergvall has signed his first professional contract with IF Brommapojkarna, the same club Lucas and Theo first signed with.

The 17-year-old is a centre-back by trade and has already started getting strong reviews, with Fotbolldirekt describing him as ‘even more explosive’ than his two older brothers.

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Spurs could become the first club to do something unique

Spurs will want to keep an eye on the teenage centre-back, as they could use their connection with Lucas to lure him to N17.

Tottenham, in recent years, have shown that there is a platform for youngsters to develop and work their way to first-team football, something that remains a major attraction for emerging talents.

Bergvall, who put the work in during his first season at Spurs, was rewarded with game time, and he eventually won several individual awards for Tottenham alongside a Europa League trophy, which only strengthens the pull for someone like Rasmus.

Tottenham Hotspur now look to have decided on the future of Yves Bissouma after the midfielder was caught inhaling laughing gas.

Yves Bissouma has less than 12 months left on his current Tottenham Hotspur deal, and the Malian midfielder, who signed for £25 million, has yet to play a competitive game for the club this season for a variety of reasons.

Bissouma was left out of Thomas Frank’s UEFA Super Cup squad for disciplinary reasons after arriving late to training repeatedly.

Injuries have also limited his involvement, as he picked up a knock while away on international duty back in October.

Tottenham’s transfer stance on Yves Bissouma after laughing gas incident

Spurs looked to sell Bissouma last summer, but every attempt fell through, and the midfielder was later caught inhaling nitrous oxide for a second time in his Tottenham career back in November.

The Times are now reporting that, following that incident, alongside a string of other disciplinary issues, Spurs are looking to sell Bissouma in January.

It is also claimed that Tottenham could potentially extend the Mali international’s contract for one more year, although if Spurs decide against an extension, they run the risk of losing the 29-year-old on a free next summer.

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Spurs options as clubs monitor Bissouma ahead of January

Fitness issues ultimately caused Bissouma to remain at Tottenham through the summer as he was close to moving to Turkey before the deal stalled late on.

Interest in the midfielder is still believed to be present heading into the winter window, with French sides Nice and Marseille, alongside Fenerbahce, West Ham United and Everton, previously showing interest and potentially ready to revisit the situation in January.

It is claimed that a move abroad is more likely at this stage, but any transfer will have to come after the AFCON, as Bissouma is set to represent Mali.

Swedish boss Graham Potter has now provided an injury update on Tottenham midfielder Dejan Kulusevski, who has been out for over six months.

A once minor injury picked up by Tottenham Hotspur’s Dejan Kulusevski back in May has now kept the Swede sidelined for well over seven months.

Kulusevski did not damage his ACL but instead suffered a Patella injury that required surgery, and despite early hopes of a smoother route back, his return does not appear imminent at this stage.

James Maddison, who actually tore his ACL, has already been spotted on the grass at Hotspur Way, while Kulusevski has not yet been seen.

Spurs have had to cope without him, with Xavi Simons brought in to offer creativity in the number ten role while both the Swede and Maddison continue their push back to full fitness.

Dejan Kulusevski injury latest as Graham Potter speaks on Tottenham star

Graham Potter, who took over the Swedish national team in October, appeared on a Fotbollskanalen podcast and was asked about Kulusevski’s condition and whether he might be available for the upcoming international matches.

Potter explained how challenging the midfielder’s recovery has been, noting that the injury has not followed a straightforward pattern.

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He said, “I met Dejan last week, as I am aware he is fighting back from his injury. I had a good conversation with him.

“He really has had a complicated injury. That is the truth. He is on his way back and he is in a good place, but when you are close you can have setbacks and you can have frustrating days when things do not go the way you want because it is a long process. He is in good spirits and in a good place, and desperate to come back and help.”

Potter gives March return date update on Kulusevski

Potter was pressed further on whether the Tottenham midfielder will be ready for March, as Sweden look to book their place in the World Cup finals through the play-off qualifying rounds.

The Sweden boss made sure to highlight Kulusevski’s determination before giving a realistic assessment.

Potter said: “He is desperate to be included. I am convinced of that (that Kulusevski will be in March). That is my feeling based on having spoken to him and understanding where he is. I think that is the last part of the rehabilitation that he needs to go through.

“My experience when someone has been out for a long time is that it can be a bit up and down and frustrating, but he is in a good place. I think the problem with football – and looking ahead to March – is that nobody knows for sure where he is going to be.

“If you can predict that, you are a genius. It is about being patient with him and supporting him. I am confident he will be there.”