Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League triumph at the end of the 2024/25 campaign has brought added expectations, after finally ending their 17-year wait for a piece of silverware.
Ange Postecoglou’s triumph in Bilbao ended a generational wait for a trophy, but he was sacked after such victory, handing the responsibility to Thomas Frank in the process.
The Dane was handed a huge sum of money to try and build on the triumph, with the hierarchy backing the new manager after taking the reins ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Over £100m was spent on new additions, which has led to the Lilywhites already making an impact in the Premier League – as seen by their fifth-placed standing after the third international break.
Mohammed Kudus has already hit the ground running, registering one goal and one assist in the league, but the same can’t be said for one of their big-money summer additions.
How Simons compares to other PL midfielders in 2025/26
During the summer transfer window, Spurs forked out a total of £52m for the signature of attacking midfielder Xavi Simons, with the youngster joining the club from RB Leipzig.
The move ended their summer-long pursuit of a new attacking midfielder, with numerous options being targeted before completing a deal for the Dutch international.
Premier League options such as Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze were both considered, but various factors saw the Lilywhites miss out on both of the player’s signatures.
As a result, Simons was the man chosen to fill the void, with such a move generating huge excitement within the fanbase – undoubtedly aided by the sizable transfer fee.
However, a couple of months on from his big-money transfer to North London, the 22-year-old has ultimately failed to deliver, as seen by his tally of just two assists in his first 14 outings.
His underlying stats further showcase his lack of quality, with the youngster being massively outperformed by numerous players also in a single position in England’s top-flight.
He’s only created an average of 1.01 chances per 90, with such a tally ranking him in the bottom 25% of all other midfielders in the league, with right-back Pedro Porro creating more chances in the same time period.
Simons has also been dispossessed an average of 2.1 times per 90, subsequently placing him in the bottom 18% of all players in the division for the same category.
He will certainly need time to settle into life in England after his big-money transfer, but there’s little denying that he’s been a huge disappointment in recent months.
As a result, he could find himself struggling to nail down a starting role in the near future, especially if one player continues his phenomenal development at the club.
The Spurs star who could end Simons’ Spurs career
Over the years, the Spurs faithful have been blessed with countless talents who have operated in the attacking midfield role – subsequently handing the fanbase moments to last a lifetime.
James Maddison was the latest player in the role before his ACL injury, with the Englishman achieving some phenomenal levels during his spell in the first team in North London.
He’s racked up 16 goals and 19 assists in his 75 appearances for the Lilywhites, with his tally of 12 goals in 2024/25 the highest he’s managed after his £40m switch.
Dele was another Englishman who filled such a role in the years prior, with the former first-team star managing to win the PFA Young Player of the Year award on two separate occasions.
However, whilst he failed to match the expectations over a sustained period, Frank could be about to rely on Luca Williams-Barnett during his spell in North London.
The 17-year-old has generated huge excitement over the last couple of months, with the youngster making huge waves within various age categories in the academy.
He’s been starring way above his age group over the last few seasons, with the youngster featuring in the U18s side for the vast majority of the previous campaign.
He ended the year with a staggering 23 goals and nine assists in his 24 outings for the Lilywhites, resulting in a jump up once again – now becoming a key member of the U21 side.
At just 17, he’s arguably made himself one of the age group’s biggest stars, with his numbers from the ongoing season further reflecting his star quality despite his tender age.
Luca Williams-Barnett
10
Rio Kyerematen
5
Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny
4
Tynan Thompson
4
Yusuf Akhamrich
4
Oliver Irow
3
Dane Scarlett
2
Dante Cassanova
2
Williams-Barnett has made just eight appearances, but it hasn’t stopped him from catching the eye, as seen by his remarkable tally of seven goals and five assists.
Back in September, he registered three goals and an assist in the 6-3 victory over Leicester City – with such a display undoubtedly his best in the 2025/26 campaign to date.
As a result of his performances, the youngster was named in the England U17 World Cup squad, with the midfielder already scoring twice during the ongoing competition.
Williams-Barnett has also made his senior debut during Frank’s tenure, as he was brought on in the 87th minute of the Carabao Cup victory over League One Doncaster Rovers back in September.
His performances across various teams in 2025/26 has led to huge praise being directed his way, with analyst Ben Mattinson labelling him as “one of England’s best talents”.
At just 17, the club will certainly have to manage the expectations placed upon him, but it’s undeniable that the Lilywhites have a phenomenal young prospect on their hands.
It’s unclear what his route to first-team success would be, but the hierarchy need to prepare a plan to allow him to match the potential he currently possesses at present.
As for Simons, he will need to rapidly buck his ideas up after his big-money transfer, with his spell in North London certainly being one to forget in recent months.
His future at the club could be in huge jeopardy in the years ahead, especially if Williams-Barnett is able to continue on his current development path in the youth ranks.
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1 ByAngus Sinclair