Tottenham Hotspur return to action at the end of this week with a clash against Aston Villa at home in the Premier League after the international break.
The Lilywhites are currently third in the table, with one loss in seven matches, and Thomas Frank will be hoping that his team continues to thrive in the top-flight.
He may, however, look for more from certain players in the coming weeks. Xavi Simons, for example, is yet to score a goal since his move from RB Leipzig in the summer.
The Netherlands international, as shown in the graphic below, hit double figures for goals in the 2024/25 campaign for the German outfit before his move to England.
These statistics suggest that there is more to come from the attacking midfielder, who played in a central midfield role against Leeds United last time out, as a goalscoring threat.
Frank needs the Dutchman to step up with more goals and assists this season because the Danish tactician will be without James Maddison for some time yet.
Why James Maddison's injury is a big blow for Spurs
The England international suffered an ACL injury in pre-season and is set to be out for the majority of this season. He recently revealed that his target is to return before the end of the campaign.
This means that the former Leicester and Norwich star will not be available for selection to Frank until near the end of the season at the earliest, which is a big blow because of the quality that he can provide at Premier League level.
Maddison, who has 107 goals and assists in his top-flight career (Transfermarkt), ended the 2024/25 league campaign with a return of nine goals and seven assists in 21 starts for Spurs.
The English attacking midfielder proved that he is worthy of wearing the number ten shirt for Tottenham with his performances in the Premier League, with a consistent stream of goals and assists at the top end of the pitch.
xG
0.29
Top 4%
Goals
0.45
Top 3%
Shots on target
0.84
Top 7%
xA
0.29
Top 4%
Chances created
2.03
Top 10%
Assists
0.35
Top 4%
As you can see in the table above, Maddison ranked as one of the most effective attacking midfielders in the Premier League last season when it came to scoring and creating goals per 90.
The likes of Rafa van der Vaart, Harry Kane, Robbie Keane, Teddy Sheringham, and Glenn Hoddle all donned the number ten shirt before the Spurs star inherited it from Kane in the summer of 2023.
Maddison’s impact at the top end of the pitch, with goals and assists, shows that he is worthy of being a number ten for the club, but it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to get back to his best after an ACL injury.
If the England international does not get back to his best in an attacking midfield role for Spurs, that number ten shirt could be up for grabs in the not-too-distant future.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Whilst some may look to Xavi Simons as a potential successor to Maddison’s number ten shirt, there is an exciting young star in the academy system who could steal the number ten from the vice-captain.
Luca Williams-Barnett made his first-team debut for Tottenham off the bench against Doncaster in the League Cup earlier this season, and could have a bright future in North London.
Why Luca Williams-Barnett can steal the number ten shirt for Spurs
Per Transfermarkt, the 17-year-old starlet has worn the number ten shirt for Spurs at U18, U19, and U21 level so far, which shows that he is a fan of the number.
This suggests that his dream would be to wear the number ten shirt for Tottenham at first-team level in the future, but he currently has Maddison in his way and will need to emerge as a star for Frank’s team to have a shot at claiming it.
Williams-Barnett’s form for the club’s academy so far this season suggests that he is well on his way to breaking into the senior side, which would then put him into contention to steal that shirt number.
The teenage talent, who was hailed as “special” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has scored eight goals and provided five assists in ten appearances in all competitions this season, per Transfermarkt, which includes a three-minute appearance for the first-team.
Williams-Barnett, typically deployed as an attacking midfielder, has delivered consistent performances at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals in his number ten role.
Appearances
23
10
Minutes
1857
719
Goals
20
8
Minutes per goal
93
90
Assists
12
5
Minutes per assist
155
144
Minutes per goal contribution
58
55
As you can see in the table above, the 17-year-old starlet’s form since the start of last season has been breathtaking, with a goal or an assist every hour or so on average.
Not only is Williams-Barnett an output machine who can score and create goals at an exceptional rate, but the Spurs sensation also “scores bangers”, per analyst Ben Mattinson on X.
That comment from Mattinson is backed up by the two goals from the attacking midfielder in the video above, as it shows that he is an effective finisher from range.
However, it is now down to Williams-Barnett to prove that he can score and create goals at an impressive rate for the senior team, as he has done at U18, U19, and U21 level so far.
18-year-old Spurs gem is a "superstar" with more talent than Vuskovic
Tottenham Hotspur have a whole host of exciting youngsters to watch out for.
ByKelan Sarson
If Frank provides the England U18 international with a chance to play regular minutes for the first-team, the impressive attacking midfielder may just steal Maddison’s number ten shirt in the future.