Xavi Simons joins English side Tottenham on a 5-year deal with a 2-year option for a fixed fee of €60m. The former Leipzig attacker has completed his medical and will put on the number 7 jersey for Spurs.
What it means to wear the iconic number 7 for Spurs
Xavi Simons is a creative force who combines flair with incisions. Nevertheless, he has big shoes to fill in the Club, as the former player who wore the number 7, South Korean professional Son Heung-min, was great at finishing, two-footed, fast, and able to link plays. Son has scored 173 goals in all competitions for Tottenham with 101 assists, including 127 goals and 27 assists in 333 appearances in the English Premier League.
Son is widely regarded as the greatest Asian player of all time and currently holds the title of highest Asian goal scorer in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. He was appointed club captain in 2023 and led Spurs to the UEFA Europa League title in 2025—his final season, where Spurs beat Manchester United in Bilbao, also ending the club’s 17-year trophy drought. Son has also been given credence for having raised Spurs’ profile in South Korea.
Who is Xavi Simons?
Xavi, who made his debut at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, has been phenomenal for Leipzig since joining the German side on loan from PSG in 2023. He had signed a permanent deal earlier in January 2025 and has bagged the Super Cup since then. The 22-year-old Dutch international has scored 22 goals and assisted 24 more in 78 appearances for Leipzig. Xavi’s explosive dribbling and penetrative passing are what earned him a spot in Thomas Frank’s team. His set piece quality, vision around the edges of the box, and eye for goal make him one of the best attacking midfielders of this era. The young playmaker has completed 0.94 through balls and 4.64 shot-creating actions per 90.
His composure under pressure and ability to take on responsibilities are more unique qualities of the Dutch. Unlike many young players, he wants to be the one deciding games. Xavi started his career at Spanish side Club Deportivo Thader before moving on to join the Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain academies. The youngster made his first professional appearance at PSG, stepping off the bench away at SM Caen at the age of just 17 years old in a French Cup tie. He got his first taste of silverware in Paris, helping Les Parisiens to both the French Cup and the Ligue 1 title in his first two seasons in men’s football.
In the press conference following his signing, Xavi pledged his commitment to Spurs, promising to bring flair, hard work, and discipline to the team.
“I’m really happy and can’t wait to get going. I’ve been dreaming of this for a long time.
“It’s a great Club and when I met the head coach, I knew straight away that the team was the right place for me.
“I will bring flair to the team but also hard work and discipline. I want to do everything possible to win, for the team and also for the fans,” he said.
Meanwhile, Head Coach Thomas Frank had expressed delight in getting Xavi on the squad, saying he fancies a player who can contribute in the midfield and wing positions.
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