Thomas Frank issued Champions League warning at Tottenham amid Xavi Simons claim
Xavi Simons has made a steady start at Tottenham following his move from RB Leipzig.
The Netherlands international joined the Lilywhites for a fee of £52million in the final days of the summer transfer window, and he has already shown flashes of his ability.
Simons impressed for Tottenham in his debut against West Ham, as he notched an assist as part of an emphatic victory over his side's East London rivals.
The 22-year-old is yet to really explode in North London, but he will still be an invaluable player for Thomas Frank moving forward.
This story includes exclusive comment from ex-Premier League midfielder Martin Allen.
Thomas Frank warned about squad rotation amid slow Xavi Simons start
Simons started on the bench for Tottenham in Saturday's draw at Brighton, and missed a huge opportunity in the final stages of the game.
He is yet to complete a full 90 minutes for his new team, and while there have been plenty of encouraging signs from him so far, he hasn't had the immediate impact that many expected.
Simons is being eased into life as a Spurs player, but former Brentford and Leicester City manager Martin Allen believes that the Champions League will provide ample opportunity for him and the rest of the squad moving forward.
- Spurs have midweek games in each of the next two weeks
- The Champions League will add eight games to their schedule at a minimum
- There will be plenty of opportunity for Simons and others to impress
“Simons is a good player and he's a good asset," Allen exclusively told Tottenham News.
“When you're playing in the Champions League, you need every player.”
“You can't just go through back-to-back games playing the same players. You've got to change them. They need resting, and they need freshening up.
"But I think things are really looking up for Tottenham in all honesty.”
Xavi Simons will come into his own at Tottenham
Simons needs time to get up to speed at Tottenham, given that he has never played in the Premier League before.
Frank is a resourceful manager, and that will likely see Simons continue to dip in and out of the side as he acclimatises himself to English football.
However, in the long term, his ability to play either on the left wing or in an attacking midfield role should see him gain plenty of starts as the season wears on.
It's easy to forget that he is still a very young footballer, so it will undoubtedly take time for him to hit top gear in North London.
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