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Celtic are basking in the glory of becoming Scottish Premiership champions and could now have eyes on a bright starlet who has admitted he is dreaming of a move to Parkhead, per reports.

Celtic set to enjoy another productive transfer window

Brendan Rodgers leads his side into battle against Rangers this weekend and will hope they can lay down a marker after claiming their fourth successive league title against Dundee United.

The Irishman will also hope to become the first Celtic manager to deliver three trebles during his tenure in charge if the Bhoys can navigate past Aberdeen in next month’s Scottish Cup final, though it is reasonable to assume he will already have one eye on the summer window.

There is an expectation at Parkhead that some form of squad refresh could take place. New blood is expected, and James Wilson could be on his way to the Hoops after a breakout campaign at Heart of Midlothian.

Kieran Tierney is on his way back to Celtic on a free transfer once his contract at Arsenal comes to an end. AC Ajaccio forward Moussa Soumano could join the Scotland international to bolster Rodgers’ options across the final third.

Champions League league phase involvement isn’t guaranteed for the reigning Scottish champions next campaign, meaning they will need to adopt a laser-focused approach to recruitment amid a swift turnaround between the end of this term and 2025/26.

Worth more than Tierney: Celtic have hit the jackpot on "brilliant" star

Celtic have hit the jackpot on this star who is now worth more than Kieran Tierney.

ByDan Emery May 1, 2025

However, there is also time for Celtic to look to the future with long-term additions who can develop into stars of the future, and they may now have their next candidate after a surprise transfer admission.

Dylan Leonard admits his dream is to play for Celtic

Speaking to A Leagues, Western United youngster Dylan Leonard has admitted he wants to join Celtic in the future, claiming signing for the Scottish Premiership champions is his ‘ultimate dream’ in football.

He stated: “That’s probably one thing I want to achieve in football is play for Celtic. Win something with Celtic obviously, but that’s definitely the one thing I want to do, the one club I want to play for.”

Enjoying an impressive campaign in his homeland, the 17-year-old has registered a goal and an assist across 24 appearances in the Australian top-flight. Primarily a central defender, Leonard has also come out in 100 duels and made 28 tackles on league duty, illustrating his potential to grow into a solid presence at the back.

Celtic are always on the lookout for talent and the Carlton-born starlet definitely appears to be someone that would fit the bill, but it remains to be seen whether a deal can be struck between all parties.

Burnley are preparing for their return to the Premier League next season and could now enlist Vincent Kompany’s support in their pursuit of an exciting signing.

Burnley look ahead to Premier League return

Scott Parker has emerged as something of a promotion specialist since stepping into the dugout, and he has repeated the trick with the Clarets in some style this term. Following another exciting Championship campaign filled with drama, Burnley have a chance to claim the league crown against Millwall on Saturday lunchtime before preparing for life back in the Premier League.

With the gap between England’s first and second tiers growing year-on-year, Turf Moor chiefs will have their work cut out in seeking reinforcements to give them a fighting chance of staying up in 2025/26.

Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is a target for Burnley after being told he is free to leave Stamford Bridge after one season, which may be the sort of signing Parker is after to give his side a genuine shot at survival. Harrison Reed could also be on his way to the Clarets if Fulham are willing to cut a deal this summer, adding some experience to an engine room that is already bristling with talent.

Ipswich now pursue new deal for £27,500-a-week star amid Burnley interest

Burnley and Leeds are once again going head-to-head but this time off the pitch.

ByBrett Worthington Apr 24, 2025

Bridging the gap won’t be an easy endeavour for Burnley. The Premier League is notoriously demanding at the best of times, but they have shown an ability in years gone by to mix it with the best.

Now, the newly-promoted outfit have set their sights on an international goalkeeper who could be on his way out of one of Europe’s most reputable clubs, per recent developments.

Burnley looking to sign Bayern Munich's Daniel Peretz

According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Burnley have initiated talks over signing Bayern Munich goalkeeper Daniel Peretz after making ‘specific enquiries’ through former boss Kompany regarding his availability. Hamburg are also keen on the Israel international, who is set to leave the Allianz Arena either permanently with a buyback clause or on loan over the next few months.

Commended for his “great potential” by Jan-Christian Dreesen, Peretz has made seven appearances for Bayern in total since joining from Maccabi Tel Aviv, keeping a solitary clean sheet. Despite being behind Manuel Neuer in the pecking order, the 24-year-old has made ten saves on Bundesliga duty this term, equating to a percentage rate of 66.7%.

Burnley will need to recruit stars with pedigree this summer and Peretz’ background at one of the world’s elite clubs could be an appealing factor as they look forward to life back in the Premier League.

West Bromwich Albion now want to appoint an “outstanding” 3-4-3 coach to replace the sacked Tony Mowbray, according to a recent report.

West Brom sack Tony Mowbray

The Baggies appointed Mowbray as their new head coach in January, as a replacement for Carlos Corberan, who left to join La Liga side Valencia. Mowbray joined the Midlands side on a two-and-a-half-year deal, and it was his second spell at The Hawthorns after he led the club to the 2007/08 Championship title.

West Brom can finally axe Diangana by unleashing “special" 21-year-old star

Tony Mowbray could forget about Grady Diangana by unleashing this special West Bromwich Albion prospect.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 17, 2025

This was Mowbray’s first job in football since his recent illness that saw him leave Birmingham City. West Brom hoped that his arrival would help them not only remain in the play-off race but also help them get back into the Premier League. However, just five wins in 18 games have seen the Baggies fall way short of the play-offs, and with them six points behind the top six, with two games to go, the West Brom hierarchy have decided a change is needed once again.

West Brom said in a statement: “The club would like to place on record its thanks to Tony and Mark for their efforts – but has made the decision to part company following a series of poor results.

“Tony and Mark will forever be welcome at The Hawthorns, and their contributions to the club winning the 2007-08 Championship title will never be forgotten.”

West Brom want 3-4-3 Spurs coach to replace Mowbray

Former Albion midfielder James Morrison has been placed in interim charge, but going forward, the Baggies are keen to bring in a highly-rated coach to take them forward. According to reliable reporter Alan Nixon, relayed by West Brom News, West Brom have placed Tottenham’s Ryan Mason as their top target to replace Mowbray.

It is stated that Mason, who is a former midfielder for Spurs and has been caretaker manager for the Premier League side on a few occasions, is at the top of the Baggies’ wishlist for new managers. The report goes on to add that West Brom may have to wait to appoint Mason, though, as Spurs’ involvement in the Europa League means he will likely see out the campaign with the London side.

But West Brom could be willing to wait to appoint Mason, whose preferred formation as a coach is 3-4-3. Since retiring from football in 2018, Mason has been working at Spurs in various roles. He worked with the club’s academy for a couple of years before being promoted to the first team as coach, working under managers such as José Mourinho, Antonio Conte, and now Ange Postecoglou.

Games

13

Won

6

Drawn

1

Lost

6

Mason has impressed a lot of people while working at Spurs, with Postecoglou labelling the 33-year-old “outstanding” for his work on set-pieces.

Postecoglou said: “Ryan Mason is in charge of set pieces; he’s done an outstanding job all year, and Mile [Jedinak], I thought in defensive set pieces we were brilliant again because they have a threat there.”

The summer transfer window is only a couple of months away from officially opening up for business and Chelsea have already begun work on bolstering their squad.

It was recently reported that the Blues have made contact with Bournemouth star Dean Huijsen’s representatives ahead of a summer deal for the Spain international.

Chelsea are one of a number of teams interested in signing the 20-year-old enforcer, who reportedly has a release clause worth £50m in his current contract at the Vitality Stadium.

The London giants, however, are now reportedly preparing a bid for another centre-back who would be even better than Huijsen at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea plot bid for Premier League defender

According to the Mirror, Chelsea are prepared to bid for Crystal Palace central defender Marc Guehi in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Blues want to sign the England international and are ‘ready’ to offer £50m and Trevoh Chalobah in exchange for the Eagles colossus.

It reveals that Palace would be willing to take Chalobah, who they had on loan in the first half of the season, as part of a deal for Guehi and that they value their star defender at £70m, making £50m and the current Chelsea centre-back a tempting offer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

If a deal can be ironed out for the English ace, Enzo Maresca could have an even better signing than Huijsen on his hands in that area of the pitch.

Why Marc Guehi would be an even better signing than Dean Huijsen

Guehi is a Chelsea academy graduate who already knows the club and has come up through the ranks, with players like Reece James, and that could help him to settle in quicker than the Bournemouth ace.

He is also a homegrown talent who would help towards the quota of English academy stars needed for Premier League and European competitions.

The 24-year-old star’s performances in the Premier League in comparison to Huijsen’s this season also suggest that he could be an even better signing in the immediate future.

Guehi’s out-and-out defending as a centre-back in the top-flight is impressive and could make him an excellent addition to the Chelsea squad, as a proven defender at that level.

Appearances

29

25

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.7

3.0

Ball recoveries per game

4.4

3.5

Duels won per game

5.2

4.0

Duel success rate

62%

57%

Error led to goal

0

1

As you can see in the table above, the Palace skipper has outperformed Huijsen in a host of key defensive metrics, without making as many big errors.

This suggests that the former Blues academy graduate could be more effective at preventing opposition teams from creating chances against the team, by making more recoveries and clearances, whilst also winning a higher percentage of his individual duels.

When you couple this with the fact that Guehi, once dubbed “incredible” by reporter Stuart James, could hit the ground running by returning to the club he has already played for, Maresca could be better off signing the Eagles star instead of splashing £50m on the Spanish titan.

Maresca must drop 5/10 Chelsea flop who's a bigger problem than Palmer

Maresca must axe Chelsea’s 5/10 flop after yet another poor performance

1 ByConnor Holden Apr 14, 2025

Therefore, this £50m-plus-Chalobah deal for the English titan could be a terrific piece of business by the Blues if they can get a deal over the line in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero is attracting serious interest from Atlético Madrid, but he isn’t the only Spurs star who could quit this summer after a truly abject Premier League campaign.

Ange Postecoglou receives fierce backlash at Tottenham

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was pictured picking a fight with supporters in the away end during their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night, specifically over Pape Matar Sarr.

£60m Tottenham star "pushing" to leave as Levy cancels new contract talks

He is apparently determined to depart north London this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 2, 2025

Supporters initially booed Sarr’s introduction off the bench in place of Lucas Bergvall, with the Mali international then briefly grabbing an impressive equaliser, which resulted in Postecoglou cupping his ears to the away end only for VAR to intervene.

This scene has sparked even more backlash for Postecoglou, who is under more pressure than ever before after Tottenham’s sixteenth Premier League defeat of the campaign.

The Australian is on course to become Spurs’ worst ever Premier League manager by league finish and points, with their torrid league form also making players think about their own long-term futures at the club.

Romero’s name has been doing the rounds this week, as Atlético are believed to hold a very serious interest in signing the Argentine this summer.

It is also reported that Romero is pushing to leave Tottenham as Diego Simeone’s side emerge as a new landing spot for the defender, with South American teammate Richarlison also tipped to go this summer.

Called a “goal-mouth monster” by Postecoglou, the 27-year-old hasn’t been able to showcase his best due to unavailability throughout 2024/2025, and his future is looking away from N17.

Richarlison "going to leave" Tottenham alongside Cristian Romero

Journalist Jorge Nicola stated on his YouTube channel that Spurs are discussing the sale of Richarlison, following a season blighted by injury, and now Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has shared his verdict.

Speaking to Tottenham News, Robinson says that the Brazil international’s exit would be a “disappointing” one, but says he fully expects it to happen.

“I think he’s potentially going to leave,” said Robinson. “It’s disappointing because I like him. I think he’s a good player. He has not hit the heights that you would have expected when he came from Everton.

“I think what you get from Richarlison, the passion, the pride, the love of football, is quite apparent. I think the first time that he played in the Champions League, you could see him; he had tears in his eyes. It’s not quite worked for him. I’ve said it before, but I think he’s been a victim of being able to play in multiple positions. He’s also been a victim of being an impact off the bench.

“He’s that type of player that gives you that impact. Harry Kane left, obviously got the opportunity to be a No. 9, where he potentially prefers playing. Didn’t really get the goals that were needed. But then Son got in there, scored the goals, and then he played in wide areas and played deeper.

“The problem for Richarlison as an attacking wide player who can play almost anywhere, he hasn’t really nailed down his position in that Tottenham side. He’s an easy drop for a manager. If he’s not scoring goals or the manager’s rotating his team with wide players, he’s an easy drop.

“There’s no point in Richarlison’s Tottenham career where he’s put his hand up and gone, that’s my shirt, I’m scoring goals, I’m playing well, you’re keeping me in the side. That’s obviously been his downfall as well.”

Liverpool are now reportedly rivalling Newcastle United in the race to sign a young midfield star who’s been compared to Dominik Szoboszlai.

Slot: Liverpool don't have "Jacob Murphy profile" to unlock Isak

It’s been a tumultuous time for Liverpool and record signing Alexander Isak. The Reds are yet to unlock the Swede’s best form, despite splashing out £125m to break a British record and welcome their next star man from Newcastle in the summer.

Arne Slot, however, is remaining patient and recently pinpointed exactly why Isak is yet to replicate his Newcastle form at Anfield. The Dutchman told reporters: “With Jeremie Frimpong being injured and Conor Bradley being out it is not like we have so many options on the right-hand side, and it is a bit similar on the left.

UCL club now ready to launch offer to sign £21m-a-year Liverpool star

The Reds could lose one of their star men.

ByTom Cunningham 7 days ago

“Alex could benefit maybe from a Conor or a Jeremie type of player who goes outside, instead of both wingers we have who come inside and full-backs who can come in with crosses.

“But the main difference for him is that we are facing a low block many times. It is not that it never happened at Newcastle but not as much, I think. This season the league has changed, we see so many more low blocks than last season.

“But I see this not only against us, I see this in many games. It makes it harder for him compared to his time at Newcastle but I think it is also him adjusting to his teammates and his teammates adjusting to him. But it is obvious and clear that we have not the profile of [Newcastle’s] Jacob Murphy, for example, available at this moment at this time.”

Whether Liverpool find their own version of Murphy in the January transfer window is now the big question. They’ve already been linked with Antoine Semenyo, who’d certainly offer the same quality, but he may not be the only one on his way.

Liverpool join race to sign Alex Toth

As reported by Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Alex Toth from Ferencvaros in 2026. The 20-year-old midfielder has been watched closely by scouts across the Premier League, including both those at Anfield and at St James’ Park and now seems destined for a big move.

Dubbed an “aggressive presser” by Hungarian journalist Bence Bocsak, it’s clear to see where the Szoboszlai comparisons have come from.

Liverpool’s press is certainly something that needs addressing in midfield too, which makes Toth a viable option when 2026 arrives. The Reds have got one over on Newcastle before and could yet do so yet again next year.

Not Isak: £45m star is now Liverpool's most frustrating player since Nunez

Chris Sutton took aim at one Leeds United star after spotting an “odd” moment in the Whites’ dramatic 3-2 defeat at the hands of Manchester City.

Leeds lose late on at Man City

It was very nearly an unforgettable afternoon for Leeds, who came from behind to level things up at 2-2 in the second-half, courtesy of Lukas Nmecha’s reactions to rebound from his own penalty.

As so many have experienced at the Etihad over the years, however, it simply wasn’t to be for Daniel Farke’s men. The Citizens’ simply had too much quality and, for a split second, Phil Foden had too much time. The England international fired home his second goal of the day in the 91st minute to break Leeds’ hearts.

Upon reflection, Farke will be wishing that he started with Dominic Calvert-Lewin rather than setting up to frustrate Man City. It took just 59 seconds for Foden to give the hosts the lead, before Josko Gvardiol’s goal looked to be the beginning of a thrashing.

Farke soon changed things at the break, though, and Calvert-Lewin’s effort from the bench set the tone for Nmecha to then go and convert the rebound of his own spotkick.

The Yorkshire side certainly deserved at least a point, but simply felt the harsh reality of the Premier League in its full extent instead. From here, they must pick themselves up and go again against Chelsea at Elland Road.

Things won’t be getting any easier for a Leeds side who could be three points adrift of safety if other results go against them this weekend.

Chris Sutton, covering the game for BBC Sport, was particularly critical of Pascal Struijk in the first-half after spotting an “odd” moment from the Leeds defender.

Sutton slams "odd" Pascal Struijk moment

Taking aim, Sutton slammed Struijk for how he was “content” with entering the break at 2-0 down, wasting time at the end of the first-half. The defender’s aim was damage control and, to his credit, it worked in his favour as Leeds soon came from behind.

The moment, which sparked Sutton’s frustration, may well have helped Leeds stay in the game. It was an absolute onslaught from Man City in the first period and Farke desperately needed to get his side back into the game without letting the hosts out of sight. And the £50,000-a-week defender was well aware of that.

The visitors can take a lot of positives, despite their defeat. It’s very rare that sides come to the Etihad, find themselves 2-0 down and don’t find themselves on the end of a battering. Leeds, however, showed plenty of fight.

Leeds eyeing move for 4-3-3 Farke successor who has admirers at Elland Road

West Ham United sent one of their top scouts to watch Josh Sargent in action for Norwich City against Birmingham City in the Championship this weekend.

The Hammers have commenced their search for a striker amid rumours that Niclas Fullkrug is likely to leave the club in the January transfer window. The towering German arrived fresh from an impressive Euro 2024 not so long ago, but has since scored just three goals for West Ham in what has been an incredibly disappointing move.

The forward’s agent recently added fuel to the fire by saying when asked about a potential exit for his client: “This always has to happen in cooperation with the club, but I believe it can make sense to change something there.”

As much as he’s struggled, however, West Ham will still need to replace Fullkrug if he departs in January. His exit would leave them with just one out-and-out striker in Callum Wilson and it’s no secret that he’s had his injury struggles throughout his career.

If Nuno Espirito Santo is to stand any chance of keeping the Hammers afloat in the Premier League, then the club must simply back him in the January transfer window. To that end, the likes of Adama Traore have already been mentioned as early winter targets and his arrival would certainly be a good start this winter.

West Ham dealt Jarrod Bowen blow as Nuno faces fresh concern about star winger

The England international is their most crucial man by some distance.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 21, 2025

Meanwhile, alongside Traore, West Ham have also set their sights on a key upgrade on Fullkrug, with their scouts sent to watch Norwich star Sargent this weekend.

West Ham send scouts to watch Josh Sargent

As reported by Football Insider, West Ham sent officials to watch Sargent against Birmingham City this weekend. The American has been the only bright spark in a disastrous few months for Norwich, scoring six goals in all competitions ahead of this weekend’s fixtures, and has more than done enough to earn a Premier League move.

Former Norwich boss Liam Manning was full of praise for the forward even as his short spell turned into a nightmare. He told reporters: “He’s a constant handful. I think he’s so intelligent with the positions he takes up, and he’s so sharp over the first metres. He’s the best nine at the level for me. We’re delighted to have him here, long may that continue.”

It’s hard to argue with Manning’s verdict, either. When fit, there’s not many better than sargent in England’s second tier and questions are gradually beginning to be asked about his potential ability to take that form into the Premier League.

West Ham need a consistent striker, Sargent has earned a big move in the face of Norwich’s struggles, and the January transfer window could now present an interesting saga as a result.

Ex-club chief shares why West Ham must avoid Adama Traore after working with him

And just like that, after only five months and 13 league games at the Southampton helm, the Will Still experiment at St. Mary’s is over.

There was so much hype surrounding Still’s appointment after he had made quite the name for himself in France when spearheading a 17-game unbeaten run in charge of Stade Reims.

But, with only two Championship wins under his belt from those games mentioned, it did feel like only a matter of time before the underwhelming 33-year-old was put out of his misery.

It will be intriguing to see who the Saints turn to next as they attempt to get out of their second-tier slump and rise back into the promotion reckoning, with interim boss Tonda Eckert even in with an outside shout, having masterminded a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday night.

Latest on Southampton's manager search

Indeed, Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas has already confirmed that Eckert will lead Southampton out again on Saturday as crisis-stricken Sheffield Wednesday come to St. Mary’s, as the club continues to weigh up whether he’s a viable candidate for the full-time job.

If he were to guide the Saints to another league win, he would surely be in the conversation. But, there are various other names also being linked to the ongoing EFL opening.

Reports have suggested that EFL veteran Tony Mowbray could be in the running, alongside ex-Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick, with the Saints’ sporting director Johannes Spor also casting his net out to Germany, on the hunt for a successful replacement for Still.

Sky Sports has even boldly suggested that former Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana would be interested in becoming the next head coach, with Lallana assisting Eckert for the time being during his temporary duties.

The same report does state that it is an unlikely option at this moment in time, owing to Lallana’s complete lack of experience as a head coach.

But, it could well be deemed an inspired choice from left-field, all the same, with the second-tier side perhaps gaining their own Frank Lampard-style figure in the process, who continues to take the Championship by storm with Coventry City.

Southampton's own Lampard appointment

Once upon a time, Lampard was in much the same position as Lallana, as he tried to navigate a coaching career post a glittering playing career from midfield.

While it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Lampard during his managerial career to date, with tricky spells at both Everton and Chelsea, he has been largely a hit in the Championship, as evidenced by him steering the Sky Blues to the top of the EFL’s elite division right now.

Games managed

94

104

Wins

46

38

Draws

23

21

Losses

25

45

Goals scored

157

145

Goals conceded

108

153

Off the back of his “fantastic” stint at the CBS Arena to date – as journalist Sam Cunningham has labelled it – Lampard has managed to collect 46 victories from 94 second-tier games, with Lallana now wanting to kickstart his own EFL managerial journey, to try and follow in the ex-Chelsea icon’s footsteps.

After all, Lallana would no doubt command the same respect Lampard clearly holds, with the former St. Mary’s playing icon going on to bag a hefty 60 goals and collect a weighty 47 assists while on the South Coast.

He would surely want to make his own Saints side as entertaining to watch as Lampard’s rampant Sky Blues, therefore.

Moreover, Lallana will be hungry to be a success as a main manager, having played under some of the best in the managerial game in the form of Jurgen Klopp and Roberto De Zerbi, alongside also working closely with Lee Carsley in the England U21 set-up.

Russell Martin also gave a glowing assessment of the 34-year-old when he was still manager at St. Mary’s, with the recently sacked Rangers boss lauding Lallana as a “brilliant” voice to have around the dressing room. He’s also been hailed in the past as “very intelligent” by De Zerbi.

Southampton will know that they need to get this managerial appointment spot on, having been on the receiving end of a litany of blunders in recent years, with Nathan Jones and Ivan Juric also going down as failures, as an outside-of-the-box appointment, such as Lallana, is possibly eyed up.

After all, as a Saints player, the one-time Premier League title winner would once score 11 goals and collect ten assists in league action, to seal promotion to the big time. Can he repeat the same magic as a rookie replacement for Still?

Spors is a fan: Tonda Eckert asked directly about becoming permanent Southampton manager

Tonda Eckert has taken over Southampton as interim boss following their dismissal of Will Still.

ByJames O'Reilly Nov 6, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank will be delighted with where the team is currently at, after moving up to third in the Premier League table on Sunday.

The former Brentford boss inherited a team that finished 17th in the division under Ange Postecoglou last season, despite winning the Europa League, which makes their current form all the more impressive.

Spurs travelled to Merseyside to take on Everton at the Hill Dickinson stadium on Sunday in the Premier League, and came away from that match with a 3-0 win.

Central midfielder Micky van de Ven took his tally for the season to five goals with two strikes in the first half, before Pape Matar Sarr added a third late on by heading in from close-range after Richarlison nodded the ball back across goal.

You would often be hard-pressed to find many negatives from a 3-0 win away from home in the Premier League, but there were some for the Lilywhites on Sunday.

For example, there was another fairly underwhelming performance from summer signing Xavi Simons in the middle of the park, and he needs to step up for Spurs in the coming weeks and months.

Why Xavi Simons needs to step up for Spurs

The Europa League champions splashed out £52m to sign the Netherlands international from RB Leipzig, possibly with the intention of him replacing James Maddison, who suffered an ACL injury in pre-season.

It is easy to see why they were willing to splash the cash on the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona youngster, as he produced consistent quality in the Bundesliga in the last two seasons.

Appearances

32

25

xG

8.26

5.11

Goals

8

10

Big chances created

14

12

Key passes per game

2.5

2.0

Assists

11

7

As you can see in the table above, Simons racked up 18 goals and 26 ‘big chances’ created as an attacking midfielder or winger, proving that he can make a big impact in the final third.

However, the Dutchman has no goals and one assist, which came from a corner, in ten appearances in all competitions for Tottenham since his move to the club in the summer window.

Simons, as of yet, has been unable to translate his influence in the Bundesliga over to the Premier League. Whether that will come with more time and experience in England, it remains to be seen.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder played 62 minutes against Everton on Sunday, per Sofascore, and came off the pitch without any shots on goal or any chances created to show for his efforts for the Lilywhites, which shows that it was an ineffective performances in the final third.

Along with his struggles in the Premier League, Simons also has no goals, one key pass, and no ‘big chances’ created in three appearances in the Championship for Tottenham this term.

This shows that he has been struggling domestically and on the continent stage, which will be a concern for supporters and Frank at this stage, as the Dutch star is clearly capable of much better than he is showing, given his output for Leipzig in his two full seasons in Germany.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

With the £52m signing’s struggles at the top end of the pitch, though, it could be the right time for the Danish head coach to provide a young player with an opportunity to step up.

Luca Williams-Barnett made his first-team debut for the club in the League Cup in a 3-0 win against Doncaster Rovers, and he could emerge as a surprise upgrade on Simons.

Spurs travel to Tyneside to take on Newcastle United in the League Cup on Wednesday night, which could be the perfect opportunity to offer the teenage starlet a chance to shine.

Why Luca Williams-Barnett could be a Xavi Simons upgrade

The 17-year-old star’s form for the club at academy level this season suggests that he has the potential to be an exciting player for the first-team if he can make the step up.

As aforementioned, Simons has not stepped up to deliver goals and assists since his big-money move from Leipzig, with a goal contribution every ten matches on average so far.

Williams-Barnett, meanwhile, has scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 12 appearances in all competitions this season, including a three-minute cameo for the first-team, per Transfermarkt.

On top of his exceptional form in front of goal in the current campaign for Tottenham’s youth teams, the England U18 international also scored 20 goals in all competitions last season.

Appearances

23

12

Minutes

1857

894

Goals

20

8

Minutes per goal

93

112

Assists

12

7

Minutes per assist

155

128

Minutes per goal contribution

58

60

As you can see in the table above, Williams-Barnett has provided goals and assists on a consistent basis since the start of last season, averaging a goal or an assist every hour or so over the past 18 months.

U23 scout Antonio Mango went as far as to call him the “most underrated talent in English Academies”, which speaks to how impressed he has been with the Spurs youngster’s performances.

His talent has been recognised this season, though, as he won the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for his displays at U21 level in September.

With all of this in mind, and the fact that his main position is as an attacking midfielder, it could be the right time for Frank to provide him with another chance to impress at first-team level after his debut against Doncaster last month.

Spurs have unearthed their new Vertonghen & it's not Van de Ven

Tottenham Hotspur may have found their next Jan Vertonghen, and it is not Micky van de Ven.

ByDan Emery Oct 27, 2025

He has shown unbelievable form and consistency for the academy team for more than a year, and his numbers at youth level suggest that he does have the potential to be an upgrade on the currently underperforming Xavi Simons, if he can make the step up.