Tottenham have announced the signing of 22-year-old Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig in a deal worth an initial £51.8million.
The 28-cap Dutch international is signing a five-year contract until 2030 with the North London club, who have the option to extend his stay by a further two years.
Reports had claimed that Simons had been on course to join Chelsea this summer, with the Blues having a long-term interest in the Barcelona academy graduate.
But after the Blues opted to prioritise the signing of Alejandro Garnacho, the ex-Paris Saint-Germain forward opted to join their rivals and link up with Thomas Frank.
He joins international team-mate Micky van de Ven, and will provide some much-needed quality in the No.10 role after Spurs lost James Maddison to an ACL injury in pre-season.
Xavi’s first words
Speaking for the first time as a new Spurs player, Simons told the club website: “I’m really happy and can’t wait to get going. I’ve been dreaming of this for a long time.
“It’s a great Club and when I met the Head Coach I knew straight away that this was the right place for me.
“I will bring flair to the team but also hard work and discipline. I want to do everything I can to win, for the team and also for the fans.”
Manager Thomas Frank echoed the word of his new star man, adding: “I’m really pleased we have brought Xavi in – he is a great addition to the squad.
“He is still young, however he already has good experience and, over the past few years, has played a lot of games at the top level.
“Xavi has proven his ability to get goals and assists, both from the number 10 position and left-wing.
“He also has a great eye for his team-mates in terms of unlocking defences, and I know he will come in and be part of a good team that is already working hard together.”
Xavi Simons emerged through the famous Barcelona academy before moving to PSG. Since then, he has played at PSV Eindhoven and RB Leipzig, impressing at each club.
