Thomas Frank warned about Xavi Simons ‘concern’ after Tottenham transfer
Thomas Frank may have his work cut out for him now that Xavi Simons has arrived at Tottenham.
Tottenham signed Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig during the final days of the summer transfer window.
The Lilywhites were interested in the Dutchman nearer the start of the summer. However, Spurs opted to pursue Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze over the Leipzig midfielder.
But after Eze snubbed the North London club for Arsenal, and with James Maddison sidelined for Tottenham with an ACL injury, Daniel Levy was forced to reconsider.
After a quick reversal of events, Spurs got their man. While Frank will be looking forward to coaching him, it seems he’ll have a couple of things to consider.
Tottenham told of Xavi Simons attitude ‘concern’
Conversations surrounding Simons’ attitude were rife when Tottenham were linked with him earlier in the summer.
With Spurs always prioritising the squad over the individual, this is something that has featured in debates among fans.
European football expert and Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard expressed concern over the Dutchman’s body language following his transfer.
He told talkSPORT on Wednesday, 3 September: “My only concern over him is, sometimes the body language is not great. Sometimes the attitude isn’t all that it could be.
“Now, I don’t know him personally, all I do know is that throughout his time in Germany, there has been talk of is his attitude the best, can he be disruptive? That might be unfair, than might be just idle gossip, it might not be something that deserves to be attached to him.
“But there is no doubt that debate’s been in there in the German media. Even when he left, there was a big editorial in one of the major publications in Germany, about how this may be a good thing for Leipzig in the long run. In terms of the harmony of the team and making it a bit more democratic rather than one superstar.”
But with Simons just touching down in North London and yet to feature in his first game for the club, it may be too early to make assumptions about his character.
Thomas Frank could be the right coach for Xavi Simons
The attacking midfielder is an excellent talent who needs direction and guidance. There is no doubt that Frank could be the man to coach Simons.
- Simons playing style is a cross between a winger and a 10
- The Dutchman was named in the Bundesliga 2023/24 Team of the Season through playing this hybrid role
Simons worked at Leipzig because he was given the freedom to attack areas he felt were most dangerous. The midfielder enjoyed playing between the lines behind a striker whom he could create for. But he also liked floating in and out of the left half spaces where he could link up with teammates, or cut inside and score.
The real challenge for Frank will be giving him this freedom within his tactical setup. He could achieve this by starting Simons out on the left flank and allowing him to cut inside in the midfield, although this could leave Djed Spence out wide on his own at times.
As such, it seems more likely that he will start a 4-3-3 formation, which gives Simons the freedom to link up on the left while Pape Matar Sarr pushes higher up the field.
No matter what Frank choses to go with, the possibilities with Simons seem to be endless.
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