‘Nothing At All’ – Tottenham Star Hugely Disappoints Former Spurs Man
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Rafael van der Vaart has admitted that the performances of Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder Xavi Simons disappoint him as he expected much more from his countryman.
Tottenham signed Simons from RB Leipzig last summer for a fee in the region of £51m and he put pen to paper on a contract running until 2030, with an option for a further two years.
The club turned to Simons after losing out to Arsenal for Eberechi Eze, but the Dutchman has had a much more limited impact than expected, despite the need for patience being urged by former boss Thomas Frank.
Simons has attracted significant attention in recent years following spells at PSV Eindhoven and in the Bundesliga with Leipzig, where he enjoyed a productive period.
He was involved in 19 goals in 33 matches for Leipzig last season before making the move.
However, at Tottenham, he has so far managed just nine goal involvements in 38 appearances amid the club now battling just to stay in the Premier League.
The 22-year-old had to wait until December for his first goal for Spurs, scoring against Brentford on his 19th appearance, and it remains his only Premier League goal.
Van der Vaart believes the Spurs star’s eagerness to showcase his quality is having the opposite effect on his performances, while hinting Simons is still playing with the same mindset he had when he first broke through despite his increased experience.
The former Tottenham star admits that he is disappointed with what Simons has been producing in north London as he had much higher expectations.
Speaking on Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport (via De Telegraaf), Van der Vaart said: “He disappoints me. I had expected much more from him.
“He is so eager to show how good he is. That is having the opposite effect.
“He was the young talent and everyone was talking about him. He is still playing a bit like that.
“[Last season] at Leipzig he really had a good period. Tottenham is nothing at all.
“After PSV, he also showed it in the Bundesliga.”
Simons did show signs of his ability before the international break, scoring twice against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, underlining his potential if he can find consistency.
It led one former Premier League star to claim that Simons has returned to a high level with his performances.
While Simons has been going through a difficult spell, his side have also endured one of their worst periods in recent history.
After 31 games, Tottenham sit 17th in the table with 30 points, just one point above the relegation zone.
With the threat of relegation looming and scrutiny growing around the Dutch international, it remains to be seen what the future holds for Simons at the club ahead of the summer transfer window.
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