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Xavi Simons is a professional football player who plays as a creative midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur football club.

Tottenham Hotspur made Xavi Simons their fifth signing of the 2025 summer window under new manager Thomas Frank, as the club looked to inject fresh creativity into midfield.

The Netherlands international joined Spurs at a time when James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski were sidelined with injuries, leaving the squad short of attacking spark and invention.

It was hardly a straightforward pursuit for Tottenham, with the club originally chasing Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze earlier in the window, but as the deadline approached and both slipped away, Spurs moved swiftly to secure Simons, a player long admired across Europe.

Here is a closer look into the life and career of Tottenham’s new number 7 – Xavi Simons.

Who is Xavi Simons

Xavi Quentin Shay Simons, born 21 April 2003, is a 22-year-old Dutch professional footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur and the Netherlands national team.

He wears the number seven shirt at Tottenham, succeeding club legend Heung-min Son, who departed earlier in the 2025 summer.

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Xavi Simons at PSG, PSV and RB Leipzig

A product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, Simons switched to Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, initially joining the under-19s before making his senior debut in 2021. He lifted both the Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France during his time in Paris.

In 2022, Simons returned to the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven, where he enjoyed a breakout campaign, winning the KNVB Cup, Johan Cruyff Shield, and finishing as Eredivisie’s joint top scorer in his only season there. His form earned him a swift return to PSG, who immediately loaned him to RB Leipzig in Germany.

Over two seasons in the Bundesliga, he enhanced his reputation with consistent output, and in 2025, he made a permanent move to Tottenham Hotspur, signalling his readiness to take on the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur sign Xavi Simons for £51m

On 29 August 2025, Tottenham confirmed the signing of Xavi Simons on a five-year deal, with the fee understood to be around £51.8 million.

The move came after Tottenham failed to land other targets, with Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze opting for rival clubs.

Yet the deal was notable for Simons’ decision to reject Chelsea, who had pursued him aggressively throughout the summer.

It was a statement signing for Thomas Frank, underlining Spurs’ intent to add quality and depth in a pivotal area of the pitch.

Xavi Simons’ career honours and individual awards

Simons has already built a strong honours list for a 22-year-old. With PSG, he won Ligue 1 in 2021-22 and the Coupe de France in 2020-21.

At PSV Eindhoven, he claimed the KNVB Cup and Johan Cruyff Shield in 2022, while at RB Leipzig he lifted the DFL-Supercup in 2023.

Individually, he was named Eredivisie Player of the Month twice, Eredivisie Talent of the Month once, and shared the Eredivisie Golden Boot in 2022-23.

He was crowned Eredivisie Talent of the Year, while in Germany he collected Bundesliga Rookie of the Month awards, Bundesliga Goal of the Month awards, and was included in the VDV Bundesliga Team of the Season.

Xavi Simons career honours and individual awards

Paris Saint-Germain

PSV Eindhoven

RB Leipzig

Individual

Xavi Simons club career stats

Across his senior career, Simons has produced strong numbers. At RB Leipzig, he made 78 appearances with 22 goals and 24 assists, while at PSV Eindhoven, he scored 22 goals with 11 assists in 48 matches.

His time at PSG was more limited, with just 11 senior appearances, though he impressed heavily at the youth level, scoring freely for both the under-19s and in UEFA Youth League action.

Xavi Simons positional breakdown by appearances and output

Simons is highly versatile across the attacking midfield line. His most frequent role has been on the left wing, where he played 59 matches with 18 goals and 17 assists. In the number ten role, he excelled with 42 appearances, scoring 19 goals and creating 12 assists.

He has also been deployed on the right wing (27 matches, 7 goals, 6 assists) and as a centre-forward (10 appearances, 5 goals, 6 assists).

He has featured less frequently in deeper midfield or second striker roles but has shown he can adapt wherever required.

Xavi Simons injury record by season

Simons has largely maintained a clean injury record across his young career, though in the 2024-25 campaign, he suffered an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for 70 days and forced him to miss 15 games.

Xavi Simons’ personal life

Born in Amsterdam, Simons is the son of Peggy Simons and Regillio Simons, a former Dutch footballer of Surinamese descent. His older brother Faustino, also a footballer, shares the same birthday.

Off the pitch, he became one of the most marketable teenagers in football, signing his first Nike deal at 13, later moving to Adidas and eventually Puma.

Simons also featured in a 2018 Nike advert alongside global stars like Neymar and Ronaldinho, and built a huge online following early in his career. His representation changed hands after the passing of Mino Raiola, and in 2023 he signed with Darren Dein as his agent.

Ange Postecoglou has spoken about how he felt when Tottenham Hotspur decided to part ways with him despite the Europa League win, and has revealed how Spurs supporters have reacted when he has met them since his departure.

Just a few months on from being let go by Tottenham, Postecoglou is back in the Premier League, replacing Nuno Espirito Santo at the helm at Nottingham Forest.

The Forest bench will have an extremely familiar look for Spurs fans, with former Spurs assistants Mile Jedinak and Nick Montgomery reuniting with Postecoglou at the Midlands club.

The decision to sack Postecoglou did not sit well with many Tottenham fans, coming as it did just a couple of weeks after the club’s historic Europa League success, and the Australian has revealed how Spurs fans have reacted to him since his departure.

Ange Postecoglou claims Tottenham fans want to give him a hug

The Tottenham fans had waited for 17 years for a trophy, with a whole generation of supporters not having seen the club lift any silverware before the famous night in Bilbao.

Postecoglou has revealed that while it was not a great feeling, he has felt nothing but warmth and appreciation from the Spurs supporters since he left N17.

Speaking on his sacking from Tottenham, the new Forest head coach said (via Jonathan Veal): “It wasn’t great, I knew it was coming. It wasn’t a surprise. We had the parade, but I knew it was done.

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“From my perspective, you have a chance to process that. We put the fans through some tough times, but there isn’t a Spurs fan who doesn’t want to hug me.”

Postecoglou will get a great reception from Spurs fans

Despite Tottenham’s struggles in the Premier League last season, Spurs fans will always be thankful to Postecoglou for being the one to finally help the club get across the line and end their trophy drought.

He achieved something that some of the biggest names in world football, such as Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, failed to do at Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have wasted no time in sharing their thoughts on new signing Xavi Simons, with his first training session at Hotspur Way sparking plenty of excitement for the season ahead.

The international break has finally come to an end, with focus now shifting firmly back onto club football for at least the next month before another pause in domestic action arrives.

Tottenham Hotspur had a number of players representing their countries during the break, including summer signing Xavi Simons.

The 22-year-old midfielder turned out for the Netherlands but was unable to register any goal contributions during his time on international duty.

After getting valuable minutes into his legs while away, Simons has now returned to Hotspur Way, where he has taken part in his very first training session in a Tottenham shirt.

Tottenham fans react to Xavi Simons training session

Spurs supporters are buzzing to see their £51 million signing out on the training pitch, with many convinced that he will make a significant impact this season.

One fan wrote: “I feel Xavi will be great this season,” while another commented: “Genuinely looks buzzing to be here. Great to see.”

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A third supporter could not hide their excitement, joking: “‘Find Xavi!’ I am willing to donate ankles, knees, hips and organs if needed this season.”

Another fan added: “He is so good,” with one supporter confidently predicting: “15 goals, 10 assists season. 99% loading.” A final comment summed up the general mood: “Can’t wait to see him play.”

What Spurs can expect from Simons

Xavi Simons produced 11 goals and eight assists in Germany last season for RB Leipzig, and Tottenham fans will be hoping for even stronger numbers this time around in north London.

The midfielder is yet to make his competitive debut in a Tottenham shirt since his £51 million move, but that could change as soon as this weekend.

Tottenham fans will love what Xavi Simons has said after training with his new Spurs teammates for the first time.

The Dutchman was announced as a Tottenham signing a few days before the end of the transfer window, and Simons got a fantastic reception from Spurs fans ahead of the club’s 1-0 loss to Bournemouth.

However, with the international break following his arrival at N17, the 22-year-old has had to wait nearly two weeks to meet and train with his new teammates for the first time.

Simons had an outing to forget against Poland during the international break, coming under criticism from the Dutch media, but he is evidently raring to go at his new club.

Xavi Simons reacts after first Tottenham training at Hotspur Way

The former RB Leipzig man will be looking to acclimate quickly to his new surroundings, and Spurs fans will be hoping that he can hit the ground running.

Apart from Micky van de Ven, Simons also knows another Tottenham man very well, having played alongside Wilson Odobert for the PSG youth sides, and the pair’s presence at the club should make the transition easier for the midfielder.

The 22-year-old is clearly excited to get going, taking to social media after his first training session to write: “happy boyyyyy”.

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Thomas Frank has a selection dilemma against West Ham

Frank has shown faith in a midfield three of Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha so far, but he faces a selection dilemma after Simons’ arrival.

Sarr may be the most obvious candidate to miss out, but the Tottenham midfielder scored twice for his country during the international break.

Tottenham Hotspur have released footage of new signing Xavi Simons being put through his paces in his first training session at Hotspur Way, and it makes for very interesting viewing.

Following Tottenham’s 1-0 loss to Bournemouth, where the Lilywhites failed to create any chances, Thomas Frank identified Simons as the man to solve Spurs’ creativity issues.

Based on that comment, one would expect the Danish coach to throw the new £51m Tottenham signing straight into the starting eleven.

It is certainly a tough start to be thrown into the deep end in a London derby away at West Ham, and Spurs fans will be hoping that the Dutchman can rise to the occasion and showcase his class.

Video: Xavi Simons takes part in interesting Tottenham training drills

After returning from the international break, the attacking midfielder met his new Tottenham Hotspur teammates for the first time, with the club sharing footage of his first training session.

Simons has said that the number ten role is his preferred position, and based on the drills he was involved in, it looks certain that he will be used centrally by Thomas Frank.

The drills predominantly show the new Spurs signing trying to wiggle free of his marker centrally and play the wide players through on goal.

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Would Frank be tempted to start Simons on the bench?

The one thing to keep in mind is that the Netherlands international would only have had a couple of training sessions with his new teammates before the clash against West Ham.

Additionally, Pape Sarr has continued his impressive form during the international break, scoring two in two for Senegal and once again showcasing his knack for arriving late into the box.

It is thus not out of the question that Frank will persist with a midfield trio of Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Joao Palhinha for a tough away fixture and introduce Simons for the final 30 minutes.

Ange Postecoglou has spoken openly for the first time about how he felt after being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur, with the former Spurs boss revealing the emotions that came with his unexpected return to Premier League management.

It did not take long for Ange Postecoglou to make a return to the Premier League following his sacking from Tottenham Hotspur back in July.

The former Tottenham manager is now in charge at Nottingham Forest, replacing another ex-Spurs boss in Nuno Espirito Santo, who enjoyed an impressive campaign at the City Ground last season, guiding Forest to a Europa League finish.

Just as Postecoglou might have felt hard done by after losing his job so soon after lifting a European trophy with Tottenham, Nuno could also feel similarly aggrieved, given the progress he oversaw with Forest.

Ange Postecoglou reflects on replacing Nuno at Nottingham Forest

Speaking to BBC Sport, Ange Postecoglou admitted that stepping in after Nuno’s departure was a reminder of how ruthless football can be, with managers rarely given time despite previous success.

On the nature of the transition, Postecoglou said: “It is the nature of football. You do not really know what circumstances you will take over.

“Until Steve Cooper took over the club, they were not looking as though they were going to be in the Premier League. They have had two excellent managers who have done fantastic work.

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“You certainly do not know when these things come to an end. I certainly did not think I would finish up [being sacked] after winning a trophy.”

Ange Postecoglou reveals emotions after Tottenham sacking

Ange Postecoglou also described how unusual the experience of being dismissed by Tottenham was for him, as it marked the first time he had ever been sacked.

Speaking again to BBC Sport, he revealed how he approached the period of uncertainty and what he was looking for in his next role.

“It was unusual because it has never happened to me before. It is the first time I have been sacked. It is the first time I have had an off-season off.

“You wonder about the next opportunity. What I did know was that I was really keen to go to a club that would give me the platform to continue what I have been doing in my career.

“If you asked me at the start of the year if a job with Nottingham Forest was a possibility then I would have said no because of the job Nuno had done. The opportunity presented itself and I was here to take it.”

Ben Foster is scratching his head as to why another Premier League club has not picked up a player whom Tottenham Hotspur let go earlier this summer.

Spurs strengthened their squad with seven new signings in the summer, but the club had mixed success in terms of getting players out of the door.

Tottenham waited until the last moment to find a buyer for Bryan Gil, while Spurs have been unsuccessful in their attempts to sell Yves Bissouma so far.

Gil and Heung-min Son were the only players the Lilywhites got a fee for this summer, with Manor Solomon joining Villarreal on loan in the final hours of the transfer window.

Ben Foster is surprised that a former Tottenham man has not found a new club

Tottenham also released three players at the start of the summer, one of whom was Fraser Forster, who left the North London club after three years when his contract ran out.

The England international served as Hugo Lloris’ understudy in his first season at Tottenham before deputising to Guglielmo Vicario in the next two seasons, but Ben Foster is surprised that no club has picked up the 37-year-old yet.

The former Watford man said on The Football Fill-In podcast: “I don’t understand why they don’t have a team already. Scott Carson and Fraser Forster, for me, seem like the easiest choices in the world.

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“Because you’ve got to get that English core, that British homegrown talent, that’s your third-choice goalie straight away. They’re just absolute gimmes, [they] tick boxes.”

Some will look at the unforced errors that Forster made last season and see it as evidence that he is past his sell-by date.

However, those errors were all down to the Englishman being asked to play out from the back, which has never been his forte. His shot-stopping was still more than serviceable.

One former Spurs player has opened up on his feelings about leaving Tottenham and whether the club ever really considered terminating his contract.

It was reported by several outlets over the summer that Bryan Gil had his heart set on a return to Girona, and the winger eventually got his wish on transfer deadline day.

In the final days of the window, it was even suggested that Tottenham may terminate Gil’s contract and allow him to join the La Liga side on a free transfer.

However, in the end, Spurs did get a fee for the Spain international, with Girona paying £8.5m to sign Gil permanently on the back of his impressive loan spell at the club last season.

Bryan Gil admits he was desperate to leave Tottenham

The 24-year-old’s Tottenham Hotspur nightmare is finally over, and he confessed that he had his heart set on returning to Estadi Montilivi from day one.

Gil admitted that he was never happy at Spurs due to his lack of game time and revealed that the North London club never considered terminating his contract.

The winger told AS: “I want to thank everyone for the confidence shown and for being here today. I was very clear about coming here and continuing what I did last year. It’s a very important step for me, and I’m happy to sign as a permanent player. We’re all where we want to be.

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“It’s been an important summer, but what I wanted happened, and I’m happy. There was talk of terminating my contract with Tottenham, but they never wanted it. If that had been the case, I would have been here by July, and everyone would have felt more at ease.

“The most important thing is to be happy somewhere. Thank God, I was very happy and comfortable last year, and now being part of this project for the next five years is important.

“I’ve changed teams a lot; I couldn’t be happy at Tottenham because if you don’t play, you’re not happy, and I’m going to be happy here. It’s important to be happy to be able to perform at the highest level and make it back to the national team.”

Girona director admits a deal was difficult to reach with Tottenham

According to reports, Spurs had been working to find a buyer for Gil all through the summer, but in the end, they had to wait until transfer deadline day to get a deal over the line.

Girona’s porting director, Quique Carcel, has said that negotiations with Tottenham had been ongoing for a long time, revealing that in the end, the player’s desire to return to the club proved crucial for the deal.

Carcel said about Gil’s signing: “It’s been a very long summer; we talked about his return from the very beginning. We knew it would be complicated due to the current transfer market.

“Tottenham had their arguments. He was the key because we spoke to him from the start, and he wanted to return. It’s appreciated that a player who has had many offers was willing to wait for Girona.”

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly raised £90m through a receivables financing deal related to the club’s future broadcasting rights.

Since Daniel Levy’s exit, there have been plenty of reports that the Lewis family are ready to inject over £100m into Tottenham so that the Lilywhites can go toe-to-toe with the biggest clubs in Europe.

Many Spurs fans have been sceptical about these claims of a big investment from ENIC, given that the owners have barely pumped any money into the club over the last 24 years.

A few days ago, Tottneham CEO Vinai Venkatesham hinted that investment may be on the way to Spurs, suggesting that the Lewis family know that a cash injection is needed for the club to compete for the biggest trophies.

Tottenham have raised funds but not through owner investment

Bloomberg have now reported that Spurs have added £90m to their coffers, but it has not come as equity from their owners. Instead, the money has been raised through a receivables financing deal with Macquarie Group Ltd.

Tottenham have agreed to give Macquarie Group income from their future broadcasting rights in exchange for a lump sum of cash upfront. The rights are tied to money due to Spurs from the Premier League from December 2025 to May 2026.

Other Premier League clubs have also struck similar deals with Macquarie Group in the past, including Nottingham Forest, who loaned £28m from them in 2023, backed by a transfer fee from a future player sale.

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Why this may be an alarming sign for Tottenham fans

ENIC have invested only £122.1m into Tottenham since buying the club in 2001, which is why many were sceptical about claims that they are suddenly prepared to change the way they operate.

If this deal with Macquarie was the investment that the media have been referring to over recent days, it is a massive let-down, as the Lewis family has once again shown that they are not prepared to invest their money into the club.

What they have done is borrow against the club’s future broadcast earnings, which comes with risk. ENIC have to put their money where their mouth is if they do intend to make Tottenham a real force on the pitch.

After the closure of the transfer window, Tottenham are accelerating talks to tie down a player to a new contract, with CEO Vinai Venkatesham leading those efforts.

We have already seen two Tottenham Hotspur players being handed new contracts at the start of the Thomas Frank era.

Djed Spence has signed a new four-year contract, less than a year on from his last new deal, while new club captain Cristian Romero has also put pen to paper on an extension.

It has been reported over recent weeks that Rodrigo Bentancur is next in line to be handed a new deal at Spurs, with the Uruguayan now into the final year of his contract.

Vinai Venkatesham wants to tie Rodrigo Bentancur down to new Tottenham deal

TBR Football have now claimed that following the exit of Daniel Levy, Venkatesham has been tasked with tying down the Uruguayan to a new deal.

Now that the transfer window has closed, there is said to be urgency at Tottenham to reach an agreement with Bentancur as soon as possible.

The report says that Thomas Frank has already made it clear that the former Juventus man is a key part of his plans.

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As a result, Venkatesham is now working hard to tie up Bentancur to a new long-term contract, with Tottenham hoping to have an agreement in place before January.

Why Tottenham fans can be relatively optimistic about Bentancur’s future

There were murmurs of transfer interest in Bentancur this summer, but the midfielder did not come close to leaving.

There are also continuing suggestions that Atletico Madrid are big fans of Bentancur, which might be a cause for concern for Tottenham fans.

However, the fact that the North London club have not shown the same urgency in tying the midfielder down to a new deal as they did with Romero suggests that they are relatively confident that the 28-year-old will commit.