Xavi Simons is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a torn ACL and is set to rejoin Tottenham team training later this month, seven months after the injury.
According to The Times, the Netherlands international is about to enter the final phase of his rehab, and that phase includes working with the rest of the squad again at Hotspur Way. He is on track to be involved with the group once more.
That is a real change from where things stood a week ago. When we went through the Tottenham injury list before Crystal Palace, the expectation was that Xavi Simons would not be available until the early stages of 2027, as we noted in our Palace injury round-up.
When will Xavi Simons return for Tottenham?
Team training is the next step, and it is due later in November. The report broke on Wednesday evening, and the journalist behind it, Tom Allnutt, set out the timeline himself.
Excl: Xavi Simons to enter final phase of his recovery later this month, including reintegration into team training at Tottenham.
– Tom Allnutt (@TomAllnutt_) November 4, 2026
Xavi ahead of schedule and on track to be involved with the squad again, 7 months after his ACL injury. @TimesSport
Rejoining the group is not the same as playing, of course. Simons suffered the injury in April, missed the summer with the Netherlands, and will need weeks of full sessions before any matchday squad. Our guess is that Spurs take it slowly, with the busy December schedule the earliest realistic window for minutes off the bench.
How Spurs have handled long comebacks
There is a recent template. Dejan Kulusevski trained with the squad in October after a long lay-off and has now been called up by Sweden, as we covered when Graham Potter brought him back after 526 days out. James Maddison, back from his own injury, started on the bench against Crystal Palace rather than being thrown straight into the XI.
That patience looks deliberate. Spurs are finally winning, with three Premier League victories in a row, so there is no need to rush anyone. The medical staff can let Simons build up properly without the pressure of a losing run.
Who else is still out?
Wilson Odobert is the other long-term absentee with a knee injury. Simons getting back on the grass would at least give Roberto De Zerbi one more creative option before the turn of the year.
Why Xavi Simons’ return matters for De Zerbi
Tottenham’s recent wins have come with goals from all over the pitch, but Dominic Solanke heads to Leeds still needing a goal. In our view, a player who can carry the ball between the lines and pick a final pass is exactly what would help him most.
Simons was finally starting to find his feet in a Spurs shirt when the injury hit. Getting him back on the grass with his team-mates, even if only in training for now, is the best piece of news N17 has had on the injury front in months.
Our view: do not expect him in the matchday squad in November. If Spurs are still in the top-five race by Christmas, though, a fit Simons could be the closest thing they get to a January signing.
