22-year-old Dutch international is a no brainer signing for Tottenham this summer – Opinion

Give me an opportunity to explain here that he is someone who adds more to the team than flair. Simons has that ball-carrying capacity which helps him drive transitional sequences with vertical burst. And given how he is highly press resistant, he could be a key presence for mid-block release & bringing in some control to the sequences.

Moreover, he has that capacity complemented by vision to be effective in tight zones and cutback opportunities, which could widely help when playing with someone like Dominic Solanke upfront and an arriving midfielder like Maddison.

Moreover, he does press quite effectively, especially when it comes to pressing from wide zones.

And then he is a very versatile profile, given that he can play in multiple positions, namely, LW, CAM, RCM, or even false 9.

I do think that he is one of those rare high-technical players that drives well in a structured framework, and that is exactly what bodes well for the system-first approach that Thomas Frank is set to implement at Tottenham.

So, Where would Simons slot in under Thomas Frank?

He can play in that left-sided interior role in a 4-3-3 where the Dutch international can slot in possibly as an #8, where he is drifting between the fullback (Udogie) and wide forwards (Tel/Solomon). And here he can link with midfielders on the inside to form triangles in half spaces (possibly with Maddison in that RCM channel). He also brings a ball-progressive capacity while also being an option to tuck into those left half-spaces to combine in vertical lanes or run in behind. Now to play him here, I think it would be perfect against teams that put out a mid-block against Tottenham or in games where the North Londoners are controlling the tempo of the sequences.

He can also feature as an advanced #10 in a 3-5-2 hybrid where Frank wants to play in transitional setups, and here Simons will play just behind a dual striker system (Tel + Solanke), and this is where he can function as a pressing initiator where he drops to collect and then bursts into occupying those offensive zone 14 areas. This will allow him to play more of a floating time whilst breaking lines and having more time on the ball.

Simons can also play as a left winger, and he could come in and replace Son on that flank, but I think with the North Londoners signing Tel, it would be more interesting if Simons could play with Tel on the left.

Strengths

He has that elite press resistance about him, which will give another option to Tottenham to play out under intense pressure, and then his versatility will add a lot of adaptability as per game state. He has a capacity to play in the final third with highly intelligent sequences, especially given his creative ability.

Weakness

If you start playing him a lot centrally, I think he goes on and displaces Maddison in the side. He also needs that clarity to operate in roles, given how easy it is for him to drift outside of the needed roles without tactical outlines.

Author Opinion: Xavi Simons is a no-brainer for me

At Tottenham and especially under the compact-yet-aggressive system that Frank is expected to implement at Hotspur Way, Simons can become a tactically fluid player who can elevate everyone around him. And with Champions League football on the table at Tottenham, the 63-year-old club chairman has the opportunity to bring in some high-level players at N17, and Simons is exactly the kind of signing that signifies that Tottenham mean business…