Jamie Carragher makes big claim about Tottenham’s Xavi Simons after watching him against his son
The summer transfer window is always a time for big hopes and even bigger questions. For Tottenham Hotspur fans, there has been plenty of discussion about the club’s strategy and whether they did enough to strengthen the squad for the challenges ahead.
But when you step back and look at the facts, the picture becomes much clearer. The club brought in six new players, a significant investment that pushed their spending past the £170 million mark.
This includes some very exciting names, but one signing in particular has everyone talking and has even earned some early praise from a very respected and unlikely source.
That new signing is Xavi Simons, the dynamic Dutch midfielder who joined the club for a fee of £52 million. While Tottenham supporters are rightly excited to see what he can do in the famous white shirt, they are not the only ones who have taken notice.
Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has already given his own unique seal of approval to the young playmaker.
His review, however, did not come from watching hours of television highlights. It came from a much more personal and up-close experience.
Carragher recently shared that he had the chance to watch Xavi Simons play live over the summer. The occasion was not a major cup final or a high-profile league match, but a youth international game where Simons was representing the Netherlands.
As it happened, the team he was playing against featured Carragher’s own son. This gave the former defender a perfect, close-up view of the pitch from the stands, allowing him to see the finer details of a player’s technique and movement that you often miss on screen.
From that unique vantage point, Carragher came away incredibly impressed. He saw a player blessed with what he described as “great quality” and “real good ability.”
He was so convinced by what he saw that he confidently called Simons a “hit” for Tottenham, a strong statement to make before the player has even kicked a ball in the Premier League.
This kind of firsthand insight is incredibly valuable. It goes beyond just looking at statistics; it is about recognizing the pure technical talent and football intelligence that a player possesses.
Carragher also raised a very interesting point about what Simons’ arrival might mean for the long-term future of another Tottenham star, James Maddison.
The England international is currently recovering from knee surgery, and his absence has left a creative hole in the team.
While Maddison is a firm fan favorite and a crucial part of the squad, Carragher suggested that Simons’ presence could eventually lead to some big questions about how both players fit into the same team. It is a topic that will likely be discussed all season long.
The praise for Tottenham’s summer business does not stop with Jamie Carragher’s comments about one player. The wider football world has also taken note of the smart work done by the club.
The Athletic, a highly respected sports publication, recently ranked all 155 signings made by Premier League clubs this summer. In their list, they named Tottenham’s loan acquisition of midfielder Joao Palhinha as the absolute best signing of the entire window.
Securing a player of his experience and destructive ability from Bayern Munich, with an option to buy for just over £20 million, is seen as exceptional business.
Furthermore, Xavi Simons himself was ranked a very respectable 13th on that same extensive list, while the deadline day loan signing of striker Randal Kolo Muani came in at number 20.
Having three new signings recognized among the top 20 best pieces of business in the whole league is a clear indicator that Tottenham’s approach this summer was shrewd and effective.
They have managed to add real quality and depth without necessarily breaking the bank on every single deal.
So, while it is always tempting to focus on the one big name and the large price tag, the story of Tottenham’s window is about more than just Xavi Simons. It is about a collection of smart moves that have made the team stronger and deeper.
And when a football expert like Jamie Carragher gives a new signing his personal endorsement after watching him play against his own son, it is probably a very good sign that the club has done something right.