When Thomas Frank took charge at Tottenham Hotspur, it was obvious he wanted a proper number 10.
Not just someone who links play, but a player who can break lines with the ball, carry it through the middle, and also drift wide when needed.
Spurs went hard for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, two players who tick all those boxes, but missed out on both.
Instead, they’ve landed Xavi Simons, a precocious talent who looked destined for Chelsea all summer before Spurs snuck in to get their man.
The question now is simple: Does Xavi Simons style of play bring the same qualities as Gibbs-White and Eze?
This player analysis explores why Xavi Simons could be the missing number 10 in Thomas Frank tactics.
Morgan Gibbs-White: The Benchmark
For me, Morgan Gibbs-White is one of the most elite number 10s in the Premier League.
I genuinely think he could play for any of the top six sides.
When you look at the Morgan Gibbs-White style of play, you see a player with a complete skill set for that role.
Morgan Gibbs-White Technical Ability
Morgan Gibbs-White has got a really clean strike off both feet.
His final actions, whether it’s a pass, a cross, or a shot, are sharp, and he sees the picture in his head so quickly.
He’s brilliant at spotting and executing that final ball, and his delivery from wide areas is top class.
However, the standout for me is his carrying.
He can glide through central areas, and his ability to progress play in transition is outstanding.
Morgan Gibbs-White Physical Ability
Morgan Gibba-White’s work rate is unbelievable.
He presses nonstop, and he has shown that he can adapt by dropping into midfield when Forest needed him there last season.
He’s strong, wins second balls, and competes in the air, which gives him real value in different phases of play.
Overall, his physical capacity is elite.
Travelling from one end of the pitch to the other and still having the quality and composure to finish shows his class.
Morgan Gibbs-White Tactical Ability
Gibbs-White is so intelligent.
He finds the right pockets, understands what the team needs, and is excellent defensively.
Under Nuno Espírito Santo, who is all about pressing principles and discipline out of possession, he fit the plan perfectly.
The Manchester City home game last season, where he played in central midfield, was a great example of his tackling, backtracking, and intensity once the press was bypassed.
According to FotMob, he covered 11.2km in that game.
Elliot Anderson covered the same, but there is a significant drop to the next player, Neco Williams, at 10.1km.
Even in that match, he was marking Phil Foden at times in the half-spaces.
Foden is one of the best players in the league, and Gibbs-White’s handling of that responsibility shows just how tactically sharp he is.
When you put all of that together, Gibbs-White is a complete 10.
He can play in any game state.
Whether his team is dominating the ball, going direct, fighting for second balls, or hurting teams in transition, he can do it all.
It’s no wonder Thomas Frank wanted him!
Eberechi Eze: The One That Got Away
Eberechi Eze was another target Spurs chased, and it’s easy to see exactly why.
He offers a lot of what Gibbs-White does.
If you look at Eberechi Eze style of play, you can see why he was so high on Thomas Frank’s transfer list.
Eberechi Eze Technical Ability
Eze is a brilliant ball striker with both feet.
He has creativity, sees the final pass, and can deliver from wide areas.
His biggest weapon is his carrying ability.
He can glide past players with the ball at his feet, draw defenders into him, and then release teammates into space.
It’s a Jack Grealish-like trait, and it makes him dangerous against any opponent.
He also has the quality to threaten from distance, and potentially from set-pieces as well.
Eberechi Eze Physical Ability
He’s a powerful runner who’s excellent in transition.
His work rate is strong, maybe not quite at Gibbs-White’s relentless level, but he still covers the ground and can be trusted without the ball.
Eze can improve his intensity out of possession, but he still does an adequate job.
This is probably being hyper-critical.
Eberechi Eze Tactical Ability
Eze has demonstrated his ability to adapt to various systems.
Playing left midfield in Roy Hodgson’s 4-4-2 requires discipline, and he managed it well.
Under Oliver Glasner, in a mid-block system, he thrived with more freedom to drive forward in transition.
We haven’t seen him consistently against low blocks, but that’s more a result of Crystal Palace not being a team that regularly pins opponents back.
His technical quality suggests he could be effective there, too.
Overall, Eze is a top-class number 10/winger.
He can operate in different game states, is creative, adaptable, and fits the type of profile Frank clearly wants.
Missing out on him will have stung Spurs.
Xavi Simons: The Signing
Now, Spurs have gone out and landed Xavi Simons.
He looked nailed on for Chelsea all summer, but Spurs moved quickly and got their man.
The question now is whether Xavi Simons’ style of play can deliver what Thomas Frank has been searching for.
Xavi Simons Technical Ability
Simons is outstanding, technically.
His ball striking is so clean and so repeatable, and his final pass is right up there with the best creators in Europe.
What really stands out is his scanning.
He knows exactly where he is on the pitch before he receives the ball.
He’s confident and happy to take it under pressure in tight areas, and he’s got those clever little flicks and combinations that open teams up.
On top of that, he’s a dead-ball specialist.
His quality from free-kicks and corners gives Tottenham Hotspur another huge weapon, especially considering how effective Thomas Frank’s Spurs already are from set-pieces.
Xavi Simons Physical Ability
His dribbling quality is elite.
Xavi Simons can carry the ball in tight pockets, beat defenders, and he wins fouls in dangerous areas, which will only strengthen Spurs’ set-piece threat.
Xavi Simons is excellent in transition, too, and that matters because Thomas Frank is brilliant at creating artificial transitions for his team.
Simons thrives in those moments; he’s also incredibly strong, with a low centre of gravity and real power through his legs, so he won’t get bullied in the Premier League.
His energy out of possession is excellent, which is essential in Frank’s system.
Xavi Simons Tactical Ability
Simons has come through RB Leipzig, a club built on pressing principles.
You don’t survive there unless you understand pressing triggers, body shape and angles.
Xavi Simons does all of that.
What impresses me most is how quickly he moves after he releases the ball.
He immediately drives into space with intensity to get the return.
There’s no drifting in his game, just sharp, aggressive movements.
It’s very reminiscent of Florian Wirtz in the way he plays at such a high tempo, always alive to the next action.
If there is one limitation, it’s that he’s much more dominant on his right foot compared to Gibbs-White or Eze, who are more two-footed.
However, that’s only a small detail, because his overall profile ticks every box: creativity, technical quality, dribbling, pressing intelligence, and the ability to draw fouls in key areas.
Conclusion
Thomas Frank is a chameleon of a coach.
He sticks to his principles but adapts his tactics to the opposition and the game state.
By signing Xavi Simons, he’s just added another blade to his Swiss army knife.
Tottenham Hotspur may have missed out on Gibbs-White and Eze, but in Xavi Simons, they’ve landed an elite 22-year-old talent who can influence games in every way.
With the right platform under Frank, this could be the signing that takes Spurs to another level.
