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Xavi Simons took a big step to show his commitment after Tottenham Hotspur made the decision to sack Thomas Frank.

Tottenham gave five days off to their players after sacking Thomas Frank last Tuesday, before the squad reported to Hotspur Way on Monday for their first training session under Igor Tudor.

It is a fresh start for the Spurs players under the Croat and his coaching staff ahead of the big North London derby this Sunday.

Tudor has admitted that his primary goal is to energise the Tottenham squad, and the Croat would have liked to hear about the commitment shown by one Spurs star.

Tottenham star Xavi Simons skipped holidays for extra training sessions

One would imagine that most members of the Tottenham squad would have wanted to completely disengage from football and refresh their minds ahead of Tudor’s arrival.

However, that was not the case with Xavi, according to talkSPORT, who reveal that the Dutchman forwent the opportunity for a mid-season break.

Rather than jetting off to sunnier climes on holiday, the 22-year-old put in extra hours in the Hotspur Way training ground during his days off.

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The attacking midfielder put in the hard yards ahead of Tudor’s arrival, ahead of what could be his first start in a North London derby after coming on as a substitute in Tottenham’s 4-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium back in November.

Xavi could be crucial for Spurs to end the season strongly

The Lilywhites have been devoid of creativity for much of the season under Frank, and Tottenham fans will hope that things will change under their new interim head coach.

Xavi has found his feet in the Premier League over the last couple of months, showing glimpses of the quality we saw from him at RB Leipzig.

Igor Tudor has been set a clear target of Premier League survival, but should Tottenham Hotspur expect a bit more from their new manager?

Igor Tudor has arrived in Tottenham Hotspur’s greatest hour of need with a huge amount of responsibility on his shoulders.

Spurs are one position higher in the Premier League table than where they finished last season, but their points tally is a much greater concern.

Just five points separate Tottenham from the relegation zone, and while this might not seem so bad, West Ham are looking like a team who mean business.

If Tudor keeps his new club safe, he has ultimately fulfilled his purpose in North London. However, Spurs fans have high expectations, and they are unlikely to be satisfied with the bare minimum.

Tudor must secure more than Premier League survival

Nothing beats getting a result at the very last minute when all hope seems lost, but surely this does not apply to Tottenham’s fight for Premier League survival.

To go from celebrating a Europa League one year to remaining in the English top flight the next would be nothing short of tragic, so Tudor cannot let things go right down to the wire.

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Even Thomas Frank left Spurs a few points clear of the relegation zone, meaning it is important for Tudor to expand this gap rather than seeing it decrease.

Putting it simply, Tottenham must not find themselves in a situation where dropping down a division is still on the cards with a couple of matches left.

The Champions League is important for Spurs too

European football was the only good thing about Ange Postecoglou’s second campaign at Tottenham, and this season under Frank has been no different.

The Dane managed his team to a top-four league phase finish in the Champions League, meaning questions would be asked of Tudor if he suffered a last-16 exit.

Spurs could face Juventus or Atletico Madrid next, and both are good teams. However, there are still plenty of stronger sides in the competition and the ex-Serie A boss should really be progressing past at least one round.

Tudor cannot be expected to do the unthinkable at Tottenham

If Tudor were to lift Spurs up to a mid-table finish and reach the Champions League semi-finals, that would be quite the achievement, but it should not be the expectation.

The Tottenham first-team squad is laden with injuries, and even getting a draw takes a lot of effort. Therefore, the limitations Tudor faces should be recognised, and patience must be afforded to him.

What we are about to witness is like a firefighter running into a burning house without any PPE. The resources are simply not there for Tudor, and if he manages to restore stability at Spurs with what little he has to work with, then credit where credit is due.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to raid Bayern Munich for a centre-back who delivered a defensive masterclass in his most recent outing.

Tottenham and Bayern Munich have done plenty of business over recent years, with Harry Kane and Eric Dier moving to the German club from the North London side while Mathys Tel and Joao Palhinha have gone in the opposite direction.

The two clubs could be in line to do even more business in the summer, with reports over recent days indicating that Tottenham are one of the contenders to sign Leon Goretzka.

Now, it has emerged that yet another experienced Bayern star is on the Lilywhites’ radar after struggling for regular starts this season.

Tottenham battling Chelsea for Kim Min-jae

Journalist Christian Falk has told FC Bayern Insider that Tottenham and Chelsea are both plotting a move for Kim Min-jae, who has won two K-League titles, the Scudetto and the Bundesliga title in his career.

Kim is on the shortlist of both London clubs, who are looking to bolster their options in defence. Bayern paid £43m to sign the centre-back from Napoli.

Amidst doubts over the futures of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, the Lilywhites have identified the South Korean as a potential option.

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However, it is revealed that any move from Spurs for Kim would depend on who the Premier League side appoint as their next permanent manager.

What is Kim’s current stance on his future?

The centre-back is currently the third choice at Bayern behind Vincent Kompany’s first-choice pair, Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah, and has been restricted to just 10 starts in the Bundesliga this term.

Despite his lack of regular starts, it is said that Kim is ‘happy’ at the Allianz Arena. However, it is revealed that a summer exit cannot be completely ruled out for the 29-year-old.

The outlet also points out that Kim delivered a flawless display during Bayern’s 3-0 win against Werder Bremen on Saturday, as the two London clubs continue to monitor his situation closely.

Tottenham Hotspur continue to eye a move for Leon Goretzka, but they are not the only ones pushing for the Bayern Munich star.

There is a lot for Spurs to sort out over the coming weeks before they can start planning for the summer transfer window.

The Lilywhites first need to secure their place in the Premier League and finalise a permanent managerial appointment before they can finalise their top summer targets.

However, that has not stopped them from exploring a move for Leon Goretzka, who was a target for Spurs during the winter transfer window.

Arsenal leading Tottenham in race for Leon Goretzka

It emerged a couple of days ago that Arsenal have joined Spurs in the race for the Bayern star, and it appears that Tottenham’s North London rivals have the upper hand.

This is according to a new report in Football Insider, who reveal that there is expected to be a host of interest from the Premier League in the 31-year-old, who will leave the Allianz Arena as a free agent in the summer.

The report backs up the interest of both Spurs and the Gunners in Goretzka, and sources indicated that Mikel Arteta’s men ‘hold the edge’ over the Lilywhites in the transfer race.

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Arsenal ‘hold all the cards’ as they would likely be able to offer the experienced midfielder Champions League football, while Tottenham are unlikely to be in a position to do so.

La Liga giants want Goretzka but he has a clear preference

Football Insider reveal that Atletico Madrid are also keen to launch a move for the Bayern star in the summer as they look to shore up their midfield.

However, a move to the Premier League is thought to appeal to Goretzka, who is specifically keen on the idea of moving to London.

While that may give the two North London clubs the upper hand over the La Liga side in the race for the former Schalke man, it appears that the Premier League leaders are currently in the driving seat.

Tottenham and Arsenal are set to go head-to-head in the North London Derby this weekend as we take a look at the latest combined XI.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in action this weekend after 12 days of rest and are set to take on north London rivals Arsenal.

The Gunners are pushing for the title, and Tottenham will be hoping to dent their aspirations by taking points off them.

This also marks Igor Tudor’s first game in charge, and he will aim to get off to a strong start against Spurs’ bitter rivals.

We have now put together our combined XI for both sides ahead of the derby game on Sunday. Of course, this XI does not take into account the injured players from both teams.

Tottenham and Arsenal combined XI selection calls

David Raya – In goal, Raya obviously edges this one as he is the more consistent of the two; Guglielmo Vicario has the odd error here and there, struggles with crosses and is not as strong with his feet – areas Raya excels in.

Jurrien Timber – When it comes to full-backs, both sides deploy different setups. Timber has the licence to push up and invert into central areas, while Pedro Porro under Thomas Frank was often deployed as a traditional right-back who had to pick his moments to get forward. Going forward, both players are equal, but it is defensively where Porro falls short, as he often tends to switch off at the back post when dealing with crosses.

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Gabriel – Gabriel takes this spot, and there is even an argument to be made that he might be the best centre-back in the league, given how dominant he is in both boxes. He does, however, make the odd mistake, as we have seen at times this season with his passing. Cristian Romero, unfortunately, has been too wayward for Tottenham this season.

Micky van de Ven – Having two goal-scoring centre-backs is no doubt the dream pairing for two sides that are strong from set pieces. Van de Ven just brings some variety, given his pace and ball-carrying ability. He gets in ahead of William Saliba.

Riccardo Calafiori – Again, an Arsenal player makes the cut, and it is no surprise given how strong the Gunners are defensively. Calafiori is a good mix of a proper defender and a strong attacking outlet. It is definitely a close one, as Tottenham’s Djed Spence is equally strong in both facets and can even play in both full-back positions.

Declan Rice – In midfield, Rice has been one of the most consistent players in the Premier League, offering a solid defensive base while also being capable of filling in as a box-to-box midfielder. He also carries a set-piece threat with his deliveries.

Martin Zubimendi – Yet another Arsenal player makes the cut in midfield, and that just shows how poor Spurs have been in the middle of the park. Zubimendi gets in as he brings composure to the centre with his passing.

Xavi Simons – In the number ten role is the in-form Simons, who is finally finding some rhythm in the Premier League. The Dutchman gets in ahead of Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze, who have been subpar for most of the season.

Noni Madueke – Out wide, we ironically have a former Spurs academy man, Noni Madueke. His numbers have not been the most impressive, with Madueke managing just two league goals thus far, but some of his performances have been electric. So much so that he keeps Bukayo Saka out of our XI.

Dominic Solanke – When it comes to the overall centre-forward package, Solanke beats both Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres. Since the Englishman returned from injury, he has bagged four goals and is currently level on goals with Jesus, despite the latter having missed half of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League journey is set to resume soon, and their long-awaited Round of 16 opponent is now coming into focus following the latest results elsewhere in the competition.

While Tottenham Hotspur’s form in the Premier League has been subpar, they have been one of the better sides in the Champions League this season.

Former Spurs head coach Thomas Frank helped his side to a top-four finish in the league phase, avoiding any play-off games.

The Lilywhites are now eagerly awaiting who they will face when their Champions League campaign resumes once more. Spurs already know their R16 opponents will be one of four teams – Juventus, Galatasaray, Club Brugge or Atletico Madrid.

Tottenham will keep a keen eye on Galatasaray vs Juventus

Galatasaray and Juventus have now played the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie, with the encounter taking place at Galatasaray’s home, RAMS Park.

The Turkish outfit came out on top in this first meeting, beating the Old Lady 5-2 and leaving Juventus with a huge mountain to climb.

Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Davinson Sanchez was on the scoresheet, alongside Sacha Boey, Gabriel Sara and Noa Lang, who grabbed two goals.

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Juventus ended the game with ten men and are set to be without Juan Cabal for the return leg in Turin.

Davinson Sanchez reunion on the cards for Spurs

A potential reunion with Davinson Sanchez is now looking increasingly likely if Galatasaray can finish the job in Italy next week.

The Turkish outfit simply need to avoid losing the game by a three-goal margin if they are to guarantee their spot in the Champions League Round of 16 without Juventus forcing extra-time.

Tottenham will play either the winner of Gala vs Juve or the winner of Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16 – Liverpool will play the other.

The draw for the round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals will take place on Friday, 27 February. The R16 ties will then be played on March 10-11 and 17-18.

Should Galatasaray make it through and get drawn against Spurs, the first leg of their encounter would take place at RAMS Stadium, before Spurs welcomed them to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the second leg.

Of course, there is still a lot of play-off football to be played until we discover the final pairings.

An Inter Milan legend has urged the Nerazzurri to bring a Tottenham Hotspur star through the door in the summer.

Despite plenty of speculation regarding potential exits in January, Brennan Johnson was the only first-team player who left Hotspur Way mid-season.

However, there could be a lot more exits at the end of the season, with reports indicating that Spurs are eyeing an ambitious squad rebuild in the summer.

One senior Tottenham star continues to be heavily linked with a move to the Serie A, and one club legend wants to see the transfer happen.

Walter Zenga wants Inter Milan to sign Guglielmo Vicario from Tottenham

It has been widely reported that Guglielmo Vicario is on Inter Milan’s radar as the club plans for life after the ageing Yann Sommer.

Walter Zenga, who was one of Inter’s greatest goalkeepers and appeared 328 times between the sticks for the Nerazzurri, believes that his former club should go after the Tottenham man.

When asked who should take over the gloves from Sommer, Zenga, who now manages Serie C side Siracusa, told Gazzetta dello Sport (as relayed by talkSPORT): “With an Italian goalkeeper: Vicario and Marco Carnesecchi in the front row, then Elia Caprile.”

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Inter may face competition from rivals for Vicario

Over the last few days, reports from Italy have claimed that Juventus have joined Inter in the race for the Spurs number one.

According to some sources, Juve and Inter would have to pay over €30m (£26m) to sign Vicario from Tottenham in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur have set their sights on an exciting young La Liga attacker, who came close to joining Barcelona last summer.

At the start of the January window, it was reported that Tottenham were keen on signing a winger, but the Lilywhites failed to strengthen their attack during the window.

One would expect the club to prioritise signing a wide player in the summer, with sources indicating Spurs are eyeing an ambitious squad rebuild at the end of this season.

It was reported in January that Tottenham were eyeing an audacious move for one of La Liga’s best wingers, and the Lilywhites have now been named as one of the clubs keenest on the player ahead of the summer.

Tottenham eyeing move for Nico Williams

El Nacional have claimed that Nico Williams could end up leaving Athletic Club Bilbao at the end of this season after coming close to joining Barca last summer.

The report says that the Spain international had reached a verbal agreement to move to Camp Nou last year before changing his mind at the last moment, and he already regrets turning down the move.

He is expected to leave his boyhood club this summer as the Sam Mames hierarchy cannot afford his wages if they fail to qualify for Europe.

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Williams is protected by a €95m (£83m) release clause, but it is asserted that Athletic Club could be willing to accept a lower fee.

The outlet states that the pacy winger could be bound for England and that Tottenham Hotspur ‘would be delighted’ to seize on the opportunity to land the player.

Spurs face competition from Liverpool for Williams

El Nacional say that Spurs are expected to face competition from Liverpool, who have identified Williams as a potential successor to Mohammed Salah.

The Reds are expected to have a high transfer budget for the summer and can afford a deal for the Athletic Club star.

The publication adds that the 23-year-old has not made a final decision on his future and could use the World Cup as a platform to showcase his quality and attract more suitors.

Tottenham Hotspur have been told what they have to do to land Morgan Gibbs-White this summer after failing with an offer for him last year.

Nottingham Forest prevented Tottenham from landing Morgan Gibbs-White last summer, despite the Lilywhites activating his confidential release clause.

The City Ground hierarchy eventually got their way, with the midfielder remaining and signing a new contract, with Spurs securing Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig instead.

In fact, it was reported that the Forest midfielder personally apologised to Thomas Frank after the move fell through last summer.

Man City ready to battle Tottenham for Morgan Gibbs-White

A couple of days ago, it emerged that Aston Villa were ready to challenge the Lilywhites for the England international in the summer, with the Villans eyeing Gibbs-White as a potential replacement for Morgan Rogers.

Now, journalist Pete O’Rourke has revealed that Man City could also make a move for the former Middlesbrough man, having admired him for a long time.

When asked about the future of 26-year-old, he told Football Insider: “Yeah, it’s gonna be an interesting one with regards to Morgan Gibbs-White’s long-term future.

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“There’s always going to be interest in a player like Gibbs-White. Although Forrest won’t want to lose him, I’m sure they’ll probably will be expecting interest in him.m There’s obviously talk that Tottenham could rekindle their interest, Manchester City have been long-term admirers of the player as well.”

How much would Spurs have to pay for Gibbs-White?

Spurs were willing to pay £60m for Gibbs-White last summer, but the midfielder is expected to cost more this summer on the back of his new contract.

O’Rourke suggested that Forest would let the England man go for around £60m-£70m irrespective of whether they get relegated or stay up.

The journalist added: “I think Morgan Gibbs-White is going to have no shortage of interest if he wants to leave Nottingham Forest as well, but it’ll take a big money deal to get him out.

“Whether or not Forest are relegated, you’re probably looking around the £60-70m mark for any club interested in Gibbs-White, and there will be a number of Premier League clubs who will be interested in the former Wolves man.”

A Tottenham Hotspur man has been impressing on loan since his move in January after a disappointing first half of the season.

Manor Solomon was recalled from Villarreal and joined Fiorentina on loan last month after struggling for game time at the La Liga club in the first half of the season.

Fiorentina have a £8.7m option to buy Solomon permanently in the summer, and the Israeli winger has certainly made an impact since his switch to Florence.

The 26-year-old has played eight times in the Serie A and has already found the back of the net twice for the Italian club.

Tottenham winger Manor Solomon described as the best Serie A signing of January

A report in Corriere dello Sport (as relayed by Sport Witness) has now praised the impact that the Tottenham Hotspur man has made in Italy since his switch.

It is revealed that Albert Gudmundsson’s injury has forced manager Paolo Vanoli to start Solomon regularly, and the winger has certainly responded.

The outlet describes him as the ‘most successful winter signing’ across the Serie A on the back of his immediate impact.

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The report praises Solomon’s versatility, revealing that he has impressed both on the left and the right at the Artemio Franchi Stadium.

Fiorentina could seek a discount from Spurs for Solomon

Despite heaping praise on the former Fulham man’s impact going forward, it is suggested that his defensive contribution, or the lack thereof, is a weakness.

That is cited as a reason why Fiorentina could demand a discount from Tottenham on the £8.7m purchase option.

Former Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici is now the head of football at Fiorentina, and the Serie A club may be hoping that the Italian’s connections with the North London club aid them in their summer negotiations.