Tottenham to request £52m refund as new Xavi Simons details emerge
Xavi Simons had a day to forget on Sunday as Tottenham were battered by Arsenal in the North London derby.
The Lilywhites were hoping to cause a splash in the title race in Igor Tudor’s first game since taking charge on an interim basis, but they went down with barely a whimper.
Randal Kolo Muani had provided hope when he cancelled out Eberechi Eze‘s opener before the break, but the second half saw any potential Tottenham momentum stamped out.
Viktor Gyokeres recaptured Arsenal‘s lead from the edge of the box, and Eze would get his second of the game and his fifth in the North London derby this season when he netted again in the 61st minute.
The Swede would cap off the scoring by smashing in a second of his own, further dampening the mood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Xavi Simons’ appalling stats vs Arsenal
A narrative was created when Arsenal stole Eze away from Tottenham at the last moment, with the Lilywhites turning to Simons.
Naturally, the two were expected to be the subject of comparison throughout the season, although neither player has been at their best.
| Xavi Simons | Premier League 2025-26 |
| Appearances | 21 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 4 |
| Chances created | 27 |
| Successful dribbles | 22 |
| Duels won | 97 |
In both North London derbies, however, it has been the Arsenal man coming out on top.
In November, Eze scored a hat-trick against Tottenham, and he added a brace on Sunday while Simons, again, could only watch on as the game passed him by.
The midfielder, who cost £52million to sign from RB Leipzig in the summer, won just one of his 16 duels on the day, and was dispossessed seven times.
Simons did take a good shot at the start of the second half and created one chance, but it was a performance that lacked any bravery or even ability.
The 22-year-old completed none of his four attempted dribbles, neither of his attempted crosses, and gave away two free-kicks.
Eberechi Eze again shows Tottenham what they missed out on
Simons is just 22, and clearly has a lot of development to undergo before he can make a consistent impact in the Premier League.
Considering Tottenham’s position now, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that they needed a player ready to make an impact immediately.
Eze could have been that man, and he showed why on Sunday. The England international took both of his goals superbly, and created two chances.
Tottenham will hope that next season can be a better one for Simons, although they will need to make sure that second campaign does not come in the Championship.