Evening Standard

·23 July 2026

Evening Standard

·23 July 2026

The Dutchman’s absence was a major setback for Spurs in the relegation fight

The Dutchman suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament against Wolves in April this year and underwent surgery in May.

That sidelined him for the rest of the campaign - as Spurs were battling to remain in the Premier League - and also ruled him out of this summer’s World Cup, where he would have represented the Netherlands.

Roberto De Zerbi did guide the north London side to top-flight safety on the final day of the season, but the Dutch were knocked out early in North America after losing on penalties to Morocco in the first knockout round.

Now, speaking to The Sports Agents podcast, Simons has offered an update on his fitness as pre-season begins.

Long-term absentee: Xavi Simons

Getty

“I'm in a good state right now [with] my knee,” the midfielder said.

“When they tell you how long this injury is, and for me the first two days were really hard. But after that, I told myself, don’t put the pressure really, really high on myself, and I'm seeing improvement every day, and that's something that makes me really happy.”

The ligament tear meant that Simons missed what would have been the second World Cup of his career, after he had played in a limited role in Qatar four years ago.

“This World Cup was a little bit different because I [felt that I] really could help the team to achieve the goal,” he explained.

He was a key part of their qualifying run before the North America tournament.

Injured: Xavi Simons

AFP/Getty

Looking back at the injury he suffered at Molineux, Simons said he was thankful to still be able to do simple things after what is regarded as the most serious injury elite athletes can suffer.

“When it happened on the pitch, the first reaction was, ‘Oh, the World Cup.’

“I have to be happy just walking again, going to the toilet and even having a drink with my family. So, that was something that really hit into my head.”

He is still unlikely to play for Spurs this calendar year, with his return expected in 2027.

De Zerbi has overseen a major squad overhaul this summer, with the likes of Jan Paul van Hecke, Simons’ Dutch compatriot, arriving along with Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.

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