Xavi Simons will miss the rest of the season and the upcoming World Cup after suffering a serious knee injury, dealing a major setback to Tottenham Hotspur in their fight for survival.
During Tottenham’s close victory over Wolves, the Dutch midfielder sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He left the field on a stretcher after a collision with Hugo Bueno. The club has confirmed he will undergo surgery before starting a protracted rehabilitation program that could keep him sidelined for months.
As Simons was set to be a major player in Tottenham’s run-in and be highly visible for the Netherlands at the summer tournament in North America, the timing of the injury is especially detrimental to both club and nation.
Currently fighting relegation, Tottenham will enter the last stretch of the season without one of its main attacking weapons. The injury crisis at the team has worsened; many first-team players are already ruled out, deepening worries about squad depth.
Having signed with the Spurs last summer, Simons had been a regular contributor despite a challenging season highlighted by managerial shifts and erratic results. His absence puts additional stress on a team trying to escape the drop zone.
His injury is a great loss for the Netherlands ahead of the World Cup, for which preparations are already underway.
