How Tottenham Hotspur could line up with Xavi Simons in the starting XI

Tottenham Hotspur have completed a deal to sign Xavi Simons and he will go straight into the first-team squad once he is registered.

Tottenham Hotspur have finally filled their attacking midfield vacancy. Xavi Simons is on his way to Spurs after Tottenham agreed a deal to sign the RB Leipzig midfielder.

Thomas Frank has already got his team off to a fine start in the Premier League, but he will definitely utilise the newest addition to the Tottenham first-team squad.

Here is how Frank could set up his team once Simons is able to get up and running in North London.

How Tottenham could line up with Xavi Simons

GK – Guglielmo Vicario: It already looks certain that Vicario will play most of Tottenham’s fixtures this season. He may not be the finest distributor of the ball, but his goalkeeping abilities are superior to Antonin Kinsky. The Italian was solid against Manchester City and will start all the league matches, provided he remains injury-free. 

RB – Pedro Porro: Porro made an excellent start to the Premier League campaign against Burnley. He did make a few mistakes during the 2-0 win over Manchester City, but his spot in the starting lineup looks pretty secure. Djed Spence is more likely to challenge Destiny Udogie on the left, while Archie Gray has only played at right-back to allow Porro a game to rest.

CB – Cristian Romero: The Tottenham captain will obviously be one of the first names on Frank’s team sheet. The only question is whether he can avoid injuries during the season. Last season saw Romero miss a number of matches, especially due to the hamstring injury he picked up in December.

CB – Micky van de Ven: Like his defensive counterpart, van de Ven struggled with injuries last season, but when he is available, he is always going to be in the starting lineup. His pace and agility is second to none compared with any other Premier League centre-back. It was his incredible goal-line clearance which kept Spurs ahead in the Europa League final.

LB – Djed Spence: The time is nearing for Destiny Udogie to return from injury and he may well be handed an opportunity to reclaim his position in the Tottenham first-team. However, Spence is playing well and already looks like a more balanced defender under Frank. His hard work has paid off, as his national team have announced that Spence has received his first England call-up.

CM – Joao Palhinha: Tottenham need a defensive midfielder in their team, particularly when taking on teams like Manchester City. Palhinha showed just how useful he can be with his defensive contributions, while he also got himself a goal. Even if Yves Bissouma remains at Spurs after the summer, Palhinha will be Frank’s preferred choice.

CM – Rodrigo Bentancur: Spurs have a solid defensive midfielder in Palhinha and a great attacking option in Simons and Bentancur offers a bit of both. The 28-year-old might not possess the energy levels of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr, but he has the edge when it comes to composure and technical ability.

RW – Mohammed Kudus: The obvious pick, Kudus has already stunned Spurs supporters with his mesmerising dribbling. He may not seem the biggest goal threat at this point in time, but Kudus has impressed, both with his creative play and his ability to beat defenders.

CAM – Xavi Simons: As good as Sarr has looked so far this season, there is no question as to whether Simons will start for Tottenham. He scores, creates chances and is a threat to any opponent. He could even make his debut at the London Stadium against West Ham, so long as he does not get injured whilst on international duty.

LW – Brennan Johnson: This position is now the single biggest problem in Tottenham’s team. Spurs have an abundance of wingers, but most of them favour the right flank. Johnson can fill in for now, but the ideal scenario would be for Tottenham to make one more signing before the window closes. Alternatively, Simons could play on the left with Sarr in the middle, but the Dutchman predominantly plays as a midfielder and it is the position where he plays his best football.

ST – Richarlison: Whether Richarlison keeps up his good form remains to be seen, but for now, he is the clear first-choice striker. Dominic Solanke could still get some games in cup matches, including the Champions League. Hopefully, both strikers will perform under Frank and push each other to keep improving and banging in the goals.

Thomas Frank could also use Simons as a left-wing option, bringing Pape Sarr into the number 10 role in big away games for his high-press expertise. This would create a starting XI of: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bentancur, Kudus, Sarr, Simons; Richarlison.

READ MORE – Tottenham set new transfer objectives after agreeing Xavi Simons deal