Tottenham may regret Xavi Simons transfer already as £65m star torn to shreds
Tottenham tried desperately to land a quality creative midfielder in the summer transfer window.
With James Maddison out injured for the long haul, efforts were made to bring in Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, but to no avail.
In the end, Simons arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium despite reported interest from London rivals Chelsea.
However, after just a handful of appearances for the Lilywhites, did the North London club make a mistake in signing Simons?
Gabby Agbonlahor blasts Xavi Simons in extraordinary rant
Simons did little to inspire against Wolves and was hooked on 78 minutes after a forgettable display.
The Netherlands international was then benched against Bodo/Glimt, but did show glimpses when he came on as a substitute.
However, former Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor has not been impressed with the start the 22-year-old has made in North London.
- Simons has one assist this season
- Averages one successful dribble per league game (43 per cent)
- Has created one big chance in the Premier League
"Simons, I'm not sure about," Agbonlahor said while speaking on talkSPORT on 1 October.
"It's early on, we don't want to judge players after five, six games, but I'm really not sure about him, mate."
Andy Goldstein replied: "I've seen a bit of him to say he's a decent player, but he's still young right? When you've got to adjust to life in the Premier League, it's a big ask."
Agbonlahor: "You know, sometimes mate, you see a player and you're like 'oh okay, I like him, yeah yeah I like what he's about', but I watch Simons and I'm like 'ooo he's on the floor, doesn't seem rapidly quick' when I watch him as well.
"And I look at the fee that they've paid for him, could rise to £65million with add-ons. He needs to be affecting games sooner or later.
"You can't just not look at players like him and start 'ooh Gyokeres hasn't scored enough or Sesko hasn't done this', we have to look at the same energy for players like Simons. He's been brought in as a marquee signing."
Indeed, given the hefty, you would have to think that Simons will come in for more intense scrutiny if performances don't pick up.
Tottenham must remain patient with Xavi Simons
Micky Van de Ven revealed is helping Simons behind the scenes, with every little detail he possibly can.
Indeed, the forward will need all the help he can get if he is to improve, but the onus must be on himself to start delivering.
Much has been made of Thomas Frank's decision to play him out wide, with hordes calling for Simons to play centrally.
- Simons has 36 goal contributions in 61 appearances from the left
- He has 38 in 49 appearances in a central attacking role
However, the 22-year-old needs to get more involved in play and showcase the talent that he has demonstrated with previous clubs.
Of course, it is far too early to suggest that Simons is a flop and he must be afforded time to develop in the Premier League.
Although given his price tag, the vultures are bound to start circling if he doesn't improve fast.
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