Xavi Simons has taken his recovery on the road, traveling to the United States to speed up his rehabilitation from the ACL rupture that has kept him out of action for months. The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder suffered the injury to his right knee in late April, ruling him out for the remainder of that season and a significant chunk of the current campaign.
Before the setback, Simons had only made a handful of appearances under Roberto De Zerbi, who took charge in an effort to steer the Lilywhites clear of relegation trouble. The Netherlands international wasted no time making an impression, scoring a goal and providing an assist in his first start under the new manager.
The following weekend, though, he was substituted during Tottenham's 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux and hasn't featured since. He's regularly been spotted in training gear at Hotspur Way, but according to the report, his return to competitive football may not come until early next year.
A trip across the Atlantic
Keen to get back on the pitch as soon as possible, Simons has headed to the US for the next stage of his recovery. This week, he visited the training complex of NFL side the Baltimore Ravens, as reported by football.london.
He also made a stop in Boston, training at the facility used by the NHL's Bruins, where he swapped jerseys with David Pastrnak. The Czech forward had previously visited the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in 2023.
Simons then popped up at the Boston Spurs Official Supporters' Club at LongCross Bar and Kitchen on Saturday, just hours before Aston Villa extended Tottenham's winless start to the new Premier League season. According to club media, his next stop will be Santa Monica, and he's also been putting in plenty of work in the gym along the way.
No firm return date yet
The exact timeline for Simons' comeback remains unclear, but the reported progress will be seen as encouraging news for De Zerbi, who could use all the good news he can get at the moment.
Simons has already been looking ahead to sharing a pitch again with his teammates. When Tottenham completed the signing of Savio from Manchester City at the end of August, Simons posted a video welcoming his new colleague and hinted at his own return.
"Welcome to Spurs, bro. I'm happy you're finally here. You're going to love it. The fans have been so good with me since I joined," Simons said. "And when they see you play, I know they're going to love you too. I'm working hard every day to get back. But soon we'll be both in the squad and on the pitch. I just can't wait."
He added: "For now, I'll just watch you, and I'll support you. And anything you need, I've got you. And I know everyone here will do the same. So enjoy it, Irmao. I am really looking forward to celebrating together with you. This is yours now, too..."
