Xavi Simons takes aim at Igor Tudor in subtle Tottenham dig on social media
Xavi Simons may have just made his feelings clear regarding the future of Tottenham Hotspur manager Igor Tudor.
The Croatian is under intense pressure in North London after Tuesday night's 5-2 defeat away at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 clash, but he will still be in charge for Sunday's visit to Liverpool.
Tudor is set to take the pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Merseyside on Friday, and it is clear that his position at the helm is safe for another game at least.
Tottenham's managerial situation has prompted plenty of scrutiny as to who could potentially take over the interim role if Tudor is sacked, and Simons may have just revealed which side he is on.
Xavi Simons shares cryptic Instagram story
Simons has seriously struggled for form since his £52million move from RB Leipzig last summer, and he still has just one league goal to his name in his debut Premier League campaign.
His performances have frustrated Tottenham fans throughout the season, and Tudor has also quickly lost faith in the Dutchman, having relegated him to the bench in the last two games.
The former Juventus boss is facing heavy scrutiny regarding his position at the moment, and there has been plenty of uproar about him not shaking hands with his players after Tuesday's defeat at Atletico.
Djed Spence made his point clear by getting back up from the bench to offer a handshake to Tudor during that clash, and Simons may have just shown his stance in a much more subtle fashion.
The attacking midfielder posted a photo of him replacing Pedro Porro during a game on his Instagram story on Thursday, and accompanied the image with emojis of a white heart and a handshake, followed by an abrupt full stop.
The exact meaning of his post is not totally clear, but it certainly comes across as an attempt to make a veiled dig at the manager.
Tottenham told to seek appointment to 'rally the fans'
Former Everton and Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness told Football Insider earlier this week that Tottenham should not sack Tudor unless they can find someone with a better personality.
The likes of Harry Redknapp, Ryan Mason and Tim Sherwood have all been linked with the interim position, and Wyness believes that another change should only be made if the replacement is somebody who is ready to "rally the fans."
The Scottish businessman was quick to stress that stability is often the key to success when it comes to managerial appointments, but he acknowledged that in this case, Spurs do not have time on their side.
Nevertheless, he made it clear that sacking Tudor will only be the right move if the right man is handed the reins for the remainder of the season, otherwise it is a decision that could quickly backfire.