Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has questioned whether Xavi Simons has the capabilities to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League after a slow start at Tottenham. Spurs edged out Chelsea to sign the playmaker for £52 million this summer but so far, the former RB Leipzig star has struggled to make an impact. While Henry has his doubts about the Dutchman, he did admit to having an anti-Bundesliga bias.

Tottenham's marquee summer signing Xavi Simons has admitted his start to life in north London has fallen shy of the high expectations which followed him when he joined from RB Leipzig for £60.5m ($82m). Simons has struggled to impose himself on matches and was ignominiously substituted off after being brought on as a replacement for the injured Lucas Bergvall in the recent 1-0 defeat by London rivals Chelsea.

'The Bundesliga Tax'. It's a phrase that has become more prominent amongst supporters over the past decade or so, used to describe the growing trend of players who have lit up the German top-flight who have been sold to Premier League clubs for big money, only to fail to replicate that same form when arriving in England.

Thomas Frank claimed he isn't worried about Xavi Simons' form or confidence despite double-substituting him during Tottenham's 1-0 defeat at home to Chelsea on Saturday evening. Spurs mustered only three shots, one of which was on target, throughout over 90 minutes of football and were loudly booed off at full-time by an anxious home crowd.

Xavi Simons was extremely close to joining Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, but a late decision from the upper management resulted in the move fading away. As a result, Simons signed for Tottenham in England, while the German side opted to bring in Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea on loan late in the summer transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank compared Xavi Simons to Liverpool's Florian Wirtz as the playmakers continue to struggle for form since swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League in the summer. Simons left RB Leipzig to complete his move to Spurs, while Wirtz joined the Reds from former German champions Bayer Leverkusen as the Merseyside broke the British transfer record at that time.