Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been blessed to see the midfield talent play over the years, from Luka Modrick to Gareth Behr to Rafa van der Wald to Mussa Dembele.
Modric, now 40, still playing for AC Milan in Serie A, shines, while the other three have cut their boots and moved out of football.
Currently, Joao Parghínja has started his career with the club from Bayern Munich, scoring three goals in 11 matches in all competitions, but he is not the creative talent of Modric, Van der Wald and Behr.
Ranking the best modern creators in Tottenham
The winner of the 2018 Ballon d’Or must be there as one of the best creators in Tottenham’s modern history. He made 24 assists in 160 matches for the club in all contests before moving on to the Transfer Mark.
However, Christian Eriksen has a strong claim to surpass Modrick in the rankings, as he created 88 goals in 305 appearances for the Spurs during his time in North London.
Dele Alli has 59 assists in 269 games for the club per TransferMarkt, third in Modric, Dele Second and Eriksen first.
However, the Spurs could have more new players than all three, making it the new Dennis Burgkamp for Thomas Frank’s Premier League.
Tottenham may have unearthed a new Dennis Bergkamp
Tottenham fans may not want to admit it, but Bergkamp is a Premier League legend who lit up the English pitch with Arsenal’s creativity and invention.
The Dutch playmaker supported 116 goals in 422 games for the Gunners. One averages every 3.63 matches and every TransferMarkt, showing the creative capabilities he has brought to North London.
The Xavi Simons could be the next version of Premier League Bergkamp after moving from RB Leipzig to the Spurs during the summer transfer period.
Dutch International may only have one Tottenham assisted his name so far, but his shape in Germany and some of the promising signs he has shown in the Premier League so far suggests there is more from him.
Simons created 21 goals in two seasons for Leipzig in all competitions after moving from PSV in the summer of 2023. This shows that he can provide assistance on a regular basis.
Xavi Simons’ RB Leipzig’s Creativity (all comps) | ||
|---|---|---|
statistics | 24/25 | 23/24 |
exterior | 43 | 33 |
A big opportunity has been created | 19 | 18 |
A game where big opportunities were created | 2.26 | 1.83 |
Key Pass | 67 | 102 |
assist | 8 | 13 |
Statistics via Sofascore | ||
As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman game created by German “Big Chance” was particularly impressive for both German seasons.
His performance against Leeds United last weekend was a great example of originality and creativity. On several occasions, Simons produced magical moments to open up the opposition’s defense when it looked safe, lifting the ball over the defender, or playing the ball through the eyes of the needle.
The assist will come for Simons, his history with Leipzig suggests that. If he continues to do what he was doing with Leeds, it seems like a matter of time. It provides creativity, creates opportunities for teammates, and is a midfield spark.
His central midfield appearance against the newly promoted aspect may help him become the creative hub of the team moving forward and the next Berg Camp in the Premier League.
Like his fellow countrymen, Simons is an incredibly creative and original player who can make things from anything, but now he adds goals to his game and helps him fall as one of Tottenham’s most creative players in line with the legacy of the Arsenal man.