Lucas Bergvall faces career-defining Tottenham test after latest Xavi Simons news
Lucas Bergvall must carry Tottenham Hotspur's creative burden from midfield after Xavi Simons tore his ACL.
The Dutchman will miss the World Cup and the remainder of 2026 after he was stretchered off in Saturday's 1-0 win over Wolves.
The 23-year-old joins several Tottenham players on the injury table, including Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus and Cristian Romero.
James Maddison has returned from his ACL injury, but he has not featured off the bench in the last two games and still awaits his first minutes on the pitch in almost a year.
Tottenham's injury issues have come at the worst possible time, with the next four games set to be some of the biggest in the club's history.
Lucas Bergvall must step up for Tottenham
Football Insider exclusively revealed last week that Bergvall has no plans to leave Tottenham this summer, despite interest from Chelsea and Aston Villa.
The 20-year-old has struggled for minutes this season amid injury and competition, but his talent remains obvious.
| Lucas Bergvall | Stats - Premier League 2025-26 |
| Appearances | 21 |
| Starts | 11 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Chances created | 5 |
| Successful dribbles | 14 |
| Duels won | 47 |
Bergvall was a revelation when he arrived at Tottenham in 2024, breaking into Ange Postecoglou's team and putting in superb performances.
And the Lilywhites will need something similar now. While not an out-and-out attacking midfielder, the Sweden international is the most creative midfielder De Zerbi currently has access to.
While Maddison has returned, it is not yet clear what capacity the Englishman has to actually start games before the end of the season.
With Kudus, Kulusevski and Simons out, however, Tottenham desperately need some invention from the middle.
Bergvall has shown huge promise in his young career so far, but this will be a test of pressure that he has not yet experienced.
Xavi Simons injury could relegate Tottenham
There is no doubt about it - Simons' injury could well be fatal for Tottenham's hopes of staying in the Premier League.
The Lilywhites were already facing tough fixtures against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton to end the season, and all four just got more difficult.
The likes of Leeds and Everton will be well aware of the injury crisis at Tottenham, and will likely sit deep to force shots from outside of the box.
Bergvall can be the man to find that moment of genius, and De Zerbi will need him to be if his team are going to have a chance.