De Zerbi now wants Spurs to sign a £15m left-back to replace Andy Robertson

Tottenham were hit hard at the weekend by the news that Xavi Simons will miss the rest of the season through injury, and manager Roberto De Zerbi is now reportedly not on board with their first signing of the summer.

Simons ‘heartbroken’ as knee injury ends his season

Tottenham have confirmed that Xavi Simons has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and will miss the rest of the season and the World Cup against the Netherlands.

The Dutchman went down clutching his right knee in the 58th game against Wolves, where Spurs claimed their first league win in 2026.

After falling to the ground following a collision with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno, Xavi tried to escape injury but collapsed in front of Tottenham’s medical staff and left Molineux on a stretcher.

In an Instagram post, Xavi revealed that he will not be fit enough to take part in Tottenham’s last four league games or represent the Netherlands at the World Cup this summer.

“They say life can be cruel and today it feels like that. My season has come to an abrupt end and I’m trying to process it,” said the former Paris St Germain player.

“Actually, my heart hurts, I can’t hear anything.

“What I have always wanted to do is fight for my team and now I have been deprived of the ability to do that and the World Cup.”

The £52million striker’s absence is a significant blow for Tottenham and De Zerbi, who have already lost captain Cristian Romero and winger Mohammed Kudus to season-ending injuries in his first month at the club.

Xavi endured a frustrating debut campaign in England, showing flashes of his class under Thomas Frank before being sent off in a dramatic manner by Igor Tudor, but he looked set to play a key role alongside De Zerbi, especially after a stunning strike in their 2-2 draw with Brighton.

The Lilywhites still have to figure out their fate before they can start fully planning for the summer, but they’ve already started making deals in terms of perceived survival.

De Zerbi is looking for a new player on the left despite agreeing with Robertson

Indeed, Andy Robertson is reported to have fully agreed to sign for Spurs at the end of the season, on the condition that they remain a top-flight club.

However, that deal is now under review, as De Zerbi appears to be opting for a different left-back.

The Italian player’s deal at the time of his signing became the talk of the town as it was revealed in the Italian media that he was given priority in all aspects of the club, including signing players, not just the coach.

Related

Tottenham say yes: Roberto De Zerbi forces Spurs chiefs to accept Arteta deal

The new manager will have full control…

Now, Italian media (translated by Sports Witness) say De Zerbi is ‘ready’ to make a move for former Brighton star Pervis Estupinan.

Currently at AC Milan, the Ecuadorian international will leave the Serie A club at the end of the season, with Milan open to a sale for as little as £15m.

Having played 64 times under De Zerbi on the South Coast, scoring four goals and providing 12 assists, the Spurs boss is believed to be a big fan of the South American’s fitness in his system.

Whether he likes it enough to cancel what is a fully agreed-upon deal with Robertson remains to be seen.