Tottenham’s summer splash on Xavi Simons has left us asking an awkward question: has Brennan Johnson just been nudged out of the team? Thomas Frank, barely weeks into the job, moved quickly to bring in the Dutchman from RB Leipzig on 29 August 2025. Big money, big expectation. Johnson, meanwhile, has seen his Premier League minutes trimmed. But if you look a little closer, the numbers and his style of play tell us he isn’t finished. Far from it.
The debate is filtering straight into betting markets. Fantasy predictors have Johnson’s price holding flat, which usually signals uncertainty over a player’s role. Whether Xavi has pushed Johnson out of the starting XI for good is not just a football debate; it directly impacts betting markets. Team selections often cause odds to swing within minutes, especially in competitive fixtures where player form matters. A change in the line-up can move not only pre-match odds but also the momentum in live, in-play betting. Users can see, for more information, the platform features in action. These provide real-time
updates, push notifications, and in-play features that show how quickly the market reacts to managerial decisions. If you are following Spurs closely, you know uncertainty over minutes is not just a theory. It moves money.
Johnson has hardly been cast aside. He started and scored a stoppage-time goal in the Carabao Cup against Doncaster Rovers on 24 September. As others have noted, Spurs have really missed Brennan Johnson in stretches this season. Three days later, away to Wolves, he came off the bench in the 62nd minute. That is rotation, not exile. What we are watching is Frank trying to balance his new options.
The manager has been clear about Johnson’s strengths. He called him, “very good to arrive in the box and run in behind.” That is not just fluff. Those traits matter when Spurs want directness, when they want someone to stretch a back four. Add in Johnson’s improved defensive work, more tackles, more blocks, better duel success rate, and you see why he is still trusted when intensity is needed.
The stats back this up. By late September, Johnson had scored twice in 268 minutes in the league. He is averaging about 1.3 shots per 90 with an expected goals figure of 0.30 per 90. Solid returns for a player adjusting to rotation. Do not forget, last season he racked up 20 goal contributions across all competitions, a milestone the club itself marked on April 9. Stability, not decline.
So what happens next? Johnson’s spot is not guaranteed, but it is not gone either. Spurs are rotating Simons, Odobert, Tel, and Johnson on the left while Frank works out the best balance. For Johnson, the path back to regular starts is straightforward: keep finishing efficiently, keep working off the ball, and take chances in cups or from the bench. Simons may be the shiny new signing, but Johnson still has a role. And if you are betting against him, you might be doing so a bit too soon.
