Feeling Uncertain: Former PL Star Questions Tottenham Hotspur Player’s Skills

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Former Premier League keeper Shaka Hislop has made quite the assertion, claiming that Tottenham Hotspur‘s latest recruit, Xavi Simons, simply lacks the technical prowess to offset his struggles with the physicality of the top flight.

It’s been a summer of searching for Spurs, who went all out for an attacking midfielder but ultimately missed out on the now Arsenal standout Eberechi Eze before settling for Simons, snatched from RB Leipzig.

A product of Barcelona's famed academy, Simons had a stint with French giants Paris Saint-Germain before making his way to north London.

Unfortunately for the lad, his move to the capital hasn’t quite gone to plan, as he’s yet to start any of Spurs' last three matches.

The Dutch international has struggled to find the net and only managed a pair of assists across 17 outings in all competitions; one former Netherlands star even suggests that defenders have already figured him out.

Spurs boss Thomas Frank has openly admitted that Simons needs a bit of time to acclimatise to the physical demands and non-stop tempo of the Premier League, if he's to showcase his talent.

Yet, Hislop doesn’t see eye to eye with Frank, arguing that Simons simply isn’t technically adept enough to balance out his physical shortcomings.

Hislop elaborated, pointing out that the Dutchman's lacking the right blend of physicality and skill needed to thrive at Spurs.

“I’ve never got the feeling that Xavi Simons technically was good enough for a player who lacked the physicality to be a success in the Premier League,” Hislop remarked during an appearance on ESPN FC (20:15).

“So, as much as Thomas Frank is talking about Xavi Simons and his quality, I’m not sure that he has the combination necessary to be a success.”

Simons was a key figure at RB Leipzig, racking up an impressive 44 goal contributions during his two years in Germany.

Sadly, he’s yet to replicate that form for Spurs, especially with creative midfielders like James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski sidelined, a period that’s seen Frank come under scrutiny for his side’s creativity woes.

With Spurs winning only one of their last seven matches, they’ve plummeted to 12th in the league after 13 fixtures, and the pressure’s mounting on Frank.

The 22-year-old has donned the number 7 shirt previously worn by Spurs legend Heung-min Son and will be hoping to deliver performances that echo the legacy of his predecessor.