Reports from the Netherlands have dismissed talk of a potential early return for Xavi Simons at Tottenham, despite his cryptic social media post.While Tottenham Hotspur’s injury situation has been far better compared to the last two seasons, they still have several players sidelined.At present, five players are out: Pedro Porro, Mykhailo Mudryk, Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert.Of the five, two are not long-term injuries, with Porro and Mudryk set to return this month, while there remains a possibility of Kulusevski doing so as well.However, for Simons and Odobert, their returns are expected to take longer. Odobert could be back later this year, while Simons is likely to return early next year, although there have been rumours suggesting his comeback might not be as far off as initially feared.Speaking on Simons’ recovery, Paul O’Keefe confirmed when asked about Xavi being back on the grass: “Yes. There is a quiet confidence that he will return ahead of schedule.”Pressed further on whether Simons could return before the end of the year, the Spurs insider replied: “Let’s see!”Credit: @reclusemedia / InstagramXavi Simons’ Tottenham return unlikely before FebruaryDe Telegraaf journalist Valentijn Driessen has now shared an update on Simons’ potential return date following the Dutchman’s recent social media activity.Simons posted an Instagram story showing himself wearing a blue football boot, sparking speculation about whether his return was imminent.Driessen, however, poured cold water on such hopes. In comments relayed by Voetbal Primeur, he said: “He won’t really return until February. That’s going to take a while.”Injured playerInjuryPotential ReturnWilson OdobertKneeNovember 2026Xavi SimonsKnee2027Mykhailo MudrykAnkleNovember 2026Dejan KulusevskiFitnessSoonPedro PorroHamstringOctober 2026Simons focuses on recovery and Harvard programmeWhile Simons continues to work on his recovery, the Dutchman appears to be making the most of his time away from the pitch.He has announced his participation in the Crossover Into Business programme at Harvard Business School, using the period on the sidelines to further his education while continuing rehabilitation.This decision has left Driessen unimpressed. Speaking about Simons’ off-field endeavours, he said: “That really amounts to absolutely nothing. That is one semester, lasts sixteen to twenty weeks I think, and then you get to take exams for four weeks.“He is a bigger poster child for Harvard than Harvard is for him. What do you want to learn in 16 weeks? Others have a three or four-year programme there, and you want to learn that in sixteen weeks. In terms of content, of course, it amounts to absolutely nothing.”READ MORE: Tottenham want to poach Giuliano Simeone right from under his own father’s noseThe post Xavi Simons lengthy return date predicted despite positive noise from Tottenham insider appeared first on Spurs Web.