Premier League
Tottenham’s Summer Statement: Xavi Simons and a Clear Creative Plan
Simons’ £51.8m move gives Tottenham a marketable, creative spark capable of changing their attack. .
Tottenham’s late-window capture of Xavi Simons felt like the conclusion of a hectic transfer saga and the start of a different approach. The club completed a £51.8 million ($70 million) deal for a 22-year-old who arrived with a high profile from early youth days at La Masia.
Simons was already widely known long before his senior breakthrough. He had a million Instagram followers and a Nike deal by the time he was 14, developing a reputation as the “boy with golden curls”. His senior path has taken him to Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig and included a hugely successful loan at PSV Eindhoven. He can speak six languages and has recorded 63 goal contributions over the past three seasons.
The move came after a summer in which Tottenham showed clear ambition. The club opened business with West Ham United over Mohammed Kudus and pursued Forest captain Gibbs-White, only for Evangelos Marinakis to keep his skipper at the City Ground. Arsenal’s move for Eze under Daniel Levy’s nose, and the collapse of other targets, left Thomas Frank with a creative void after James Maddison’s ACL tear in Seoul and Dejan Kulusevski’s expected absence until the new year.
Chelsea were reported as rivals for Simons, a reminder of how often the Blues have targeted high-profile talent. The draft also recalled earlier Chelsea swings for Eden Hazard and Willian that Tottenham failed to convert. Still, BlueCo’s market activity allowed Spurs to sign Simons, a player who can be both a marketable face and a footballing solution.
Frank will ask Simons to add invention and unpredictability to an attack that has relied on Pape Matar Sarr’s pressing and Kudus’s ball retention. Simons is not an elite athlete, but he excels in transition and tight spaces and the manager has said he can “unlock defences”. The player himself sees the move as right for his development, calling Frank the “right coach” to advance a game defined by moments of magic.
For supporters, Simons’ unveiling offered a rare sense of uplift: a talent of this profile rarely ends up at Tottenham, and the club will now expect him to deliver both on and off the pitch.
Analytics & Stats
Salah becomes first player with 152 goal contributions at one Premier League stadium
Salah reached 152 goal contributions at one Premier League ground, overtaking Henry and Rooney. 2026
Mohamed Salah set a new Premier League benchmark when he reached 152 goal contributions at a single stadium during Liverpool’s 4–1 thumping of Newcastle United on Saturday. That total places him ahead of the previous record of 151, which was held jointly by Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney at Highbury and Old Trafford respectively.
Salah’s tally at that ground is compiled from 107 goals and 45 assists, producing the 152 figure that now stands alone at the top. Thierry Henry’s total there was 114 goals and 37 assists for 151, while Wayne Rooney recorded 101 goals and 50 assists for the same combined total.
Mohamed Salah
Goals 107
Assists 45
Total 152
Thierry Henry
Goals 114
Assists 37
Total 151
Wayne Rooney
Goals 101
Assists 50
Total 151
Beyond the stadium-specific milestone, Salah remains on course for other career landmarks in the Premier League. He is fourth on the all-time scoring list with 190, 18 behind Wayne Rooney’s 208 and behind Alan Shearer and Harry Kane. Whether he can move up into third depends on form and remaining fixtures: Liverpool have 14 Premier League games left and Salah has scored four goals in 16 outings this season.
Player
Goals
Alan Shearer 260
Harry Kane 213
Wayne Rooney 208
Mohamed Salah 190*
Andrew Cole 187
*stats correct as of Feb. 1, 2026
The past 18 months have been full of broken records for Salah and have strengthened his standing in Premier League history. The clock is ticking for Salah and it is not yet clear how long he has left to rack up the numbers. His current contract says 18 months but his tense relationship with manager Arne Slot may suggest otherwise.
Analytics & Stats
Salah sets unique Premier League record with 152 goal contributions at one ground
Salah reached 152 goal contributions at one ground, surpassing Henry and Rooney’s 151 totals Feb. 1.
Mohamed Salah became the first player to register 152 goal contributions at a single Premier League stadium during Liverpool’s 4–1 thumping of Newcastle United on Saturday. That total moves him past the previous high of 151, a mark held jointly by Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney at Highbury and Old Trafford respectively.
Salah’s landmark is the product of sustained output for Liverpool over several seasons. The numbers at that ground break down as 107 goals and 45 assists, producing a combined total of 152. By comparison, Thierry Henry recorded 114 goals and 37 assists for 151, while Wayne Rooney had 101 goals and 50 assists, also 151.
Salah
Goals
Assists
Total
Mohamed Salah
107
45
152
Thierry Henry
114
37
151
Wayne Rooney
101
50
151
Beyond this stadium-specific record, Salah is also tracking career scoring milestones in the league. He sits fourth on the all-time Premier League scorers list on 190, 18 behind Wayne Rooney’s 208 return and behind Alan Shearer and Harry Kane. Whether he can climb into third remains an open question given Liverpool have 14 Premier League matches left and Salah has scored four goals in 16 appearances this season.
Player
Goals
Alan Shearer
260
Harry Kane
213
Wayne Rooney
208
Mohamed Salah
190*
Andrew Cole
187
*stats correct as of Feb. 1, 2026
The past 18 months have been full of broken records for Salah, reinforcing his standing in Premier League history. The clock is ticking for Salah and it is not yet clear how long he has left to rack up the numbers. His current contract says 18 months but his tense relationship with manager Arne Slot may suggest otherwise.
Chelsea
Chelsea to recall Mamadou Sarr and loan Aarón Anselmino to Strasbourg
Chelsea will recall Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg and send Aarón Anselmino there on loan. BlueCo move.
Chelsea will recall centre back Mamadou Sarr from his loan at Strasbourg, with the club preparing to send Aarón Anselmino to the French side on a six-month loan as part of the arrangement. Sarr is expected in London on Monday to finalise his return to Stamford Bridge.
Sarr joined Chelsea from Strasbourg in the summer in a deal worth £12 million and travelled with the Blues to the Club World Cup before returning to Strasbourg on a season-long loan to continue his development under Liam Rosenior. This season he has been used across Strasbourg’s defence, including in the central centre back role where Chelsea have struggled since Levi Colwill’s injury.
Enzo Maresca wanted a new signing to replace the injured academy graduate, but club officials initially sought to protect clear pathways for both Sarr and Anselmino. A U-turn earlier this month saw Chelsea acknowledge the need for a new central defender, though talks over Jacquet have proven complicated. Instead, the club looked internally for a solution.
Anselmino was recalled from Borussia Dortmund earlier this month in what was understood to be a move designed as a catalyst for Sarr’s eventual return. Sarr, 20, offers a lower-risk option for Chelsea; Rosenior has managed him for 44 matches over 18 months and is confident his skillset will translate to the Premier League.
BlueCo have attempted to ease tensions with Strasbourg by sending Anselmino, also 20, to France as the exchange. The Argentine began the season with the stronger reputation of the two players, but Sarr’s performances under Rosenior have raised his value.
While Sarr’s return represents a clear boost for Chelsea’s defensive options, it is unlikely to improve relations between Strasbourg supporters and BlueCo. Fans have protested at what they see as feeder club treatment, a stance compounded by the midseason loss of Rosenior. Losing the club captain, a player who fit Strasbourg well, is expected to be unpopular among a fanbase that already feels isolated and disregarded, though the move was described in the report as somewhat inevitable.
Salah becomes first player with 152 goal contributions at one Premier League stadium
Salah sets unique Premier League record with 152 goal contributions at one ground
