Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that Dutch attacking midfielder Xavi Simons has suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and will require surgery, ruling him out for the remainder of the 2025‑26 Premier League campaign as well as the upcoming World Cup with the Netherlands. The 23‑year‑old’s injury was sustained in the 58th minute of Saturday's 1‑0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, a win that had briefly lifted Spurs back into the Premier League win column for the year.
Simons clutched his right knee after a collision with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno, fell to the ground and, despite trying to walk, collapsed in front of the club’s medical team before being taken off the pitch on a stretcher. The news arrives at a critical juncture for a Tottenham side that currently sit two points shy of safety with only four matches remaining.
The club has already been hit hard by injuries to key signings such as Mohammed Kudus and captain Cristian Romero, both of whom were ruled out for the rest of the season during the early weeks of Roberto De Zerbi’s tenure. Simons, who arrived from Paris Saint‑Germain for a reported £52 million, now joins a growing list of players unavailable as Spurs fight to avoid what would be their first relegation in 49 years.
Spurs issued a statement on Monday confirming the seriousness of the injury and confirming that Simons will undergo an operation in the coming weeks, after which he will begin a rehabilitation programme supervised by the club’s medical staff. The midfielder himself posted on Instagram on Sunday evening, acknowledging that he would not be fit for Tottenham’s final four league fixtures or for the summer World Cup.
"They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way. My season has come to an abrupt end and I'm just trying to process it," Simons wrote, adding that he felt "heartbroken" and that his ambition to help his team had been taken away along with the chance to represent his country on football's biggest stage. Simons’ first season in England has been a roller‑coaster. After a promising start under former manager Thomas Frank, he fell out of favour during Igor Tudor’s brief spell, seeing limited minutes and struggling to find consistency.
However, under De Zerbi he appeared to be hitting his stride, most notably with a spectacular long‑range strike in a 2‑2 home draw against Brighton that showcased his technical ability and eye for goal. That moment raised hopes that he could become a creative lynchpin for a Spurs side desperate for goals and imagination. Now, with Simons sidelined, Tottenham must rely on the remaining squad to bridge the creative gap. Players such as Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and the newly arrived Mohammed Kudus will be expected to shoulder more responsibility, but the club’s injury woes have already stretched their depth.
Former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood, speaking to Sky Sports, warned that the frequency of soft‑tissue injuries and non‑contact setbacks could be a symptom of deeper issues within the club’s training and medical protocols. "Injuries have derailed Tottenham all season, and it can't be just bad luck. They need to review what's happening to their players because a lot of these injuries are not contact," Sherwood said. Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge echoed the concern, pointing out the financial implications of carrying high‑earning players who are unable to contribute on the pitch.
"If Tottenham do get relegated, they could still have James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Xavi Simons, three very big names, still at the club in the Championship. That's a ruptured ACL for Simons; you can forget this year. That's done," Bridge noted, emphasizing that the club must weigh wage bills against the reality of a potentially reduced revenue stream. Bridge also highlighted Simons’ youth and the difficulty of adapting to the Premier League.
"We forget how young he is and how difficult it is to move to the Premier League. So it's been a bit of an up and down first season for him," he said, adding that the midfielder had shown flashes of brilliance in the Champions League and was beginning to flourish under De Zerbi before the injury struck. The loss of Simons’ creativity will be felt not only in the final league fixtures but also in any potential cup runs.
His ability to unlock tight defenses with dribbling, vision and a keen sense of timing has been a rare commodity for a Spurs side that has struggled to produce consistent attacking play this season. As De Zerbi looks to motivate his squad for the remaining matches, the coaching staff will need to adjust tactics, perhaps adopting a more pragmatic approach to grind out points while hoping that the remaining senior players can step up. For Simons himself, the road ahead will be long and arduous. Rehabilitation from an ACL rupture typically takes six to nine months, meaning he will miss the entire off‑season and likely a significant portion of the 2026‑27 campaign.
In his Instagram message, he appealed to fans for patience and expressed determination to return stronger. "I'll walk this path now, guided by faith, with strength, with resilience, with belief as I count down the days to getting back out there.
Be patient with me," he wrote. Tottenham’s immediate priority is to secure enough points to stay up, but the club must also confront the broader issue of player welfare and injury prevention. The spate of setbacks has sparked debate about training load, pitch conditions and medical oversight.
Whether Spurs can turn the tide in the final weeks without Simons remains to be seen, but his absence undeniably removes a key element of creativity and flair that the team will sorely miss as they battle for survival.