Xavi Simons said he intends to “build my own legacy” at Tottenham after scoring again in the famous No. 7 shirt, worn for so long by returning club icon Son Heung-min.

The Dutch midfielder, who starred in last weekend’s win over Brentford, delivered another standout performance in Tuesday’s 3–0 Champions League victory against Slavia Prague. He capped off the result with a late penalty on a night when Son finally had a chance to say goodbye to the Spurs fans after a decade of service.

“It’s really nice to score goals, but feeling great on the pitch is the most important thing for me — and I’m enjoying it,” Simons said.

The 22-year-old joined Tottenham for £52 million from RB Leipzig over the summer and has quickly embraced the responsibility of inheriting Son’s number.

“I didn’t meet Son personally before — now a little bit. He’s a big legend for the club and it’s a real pleasure for me to take this number and build my own legacy,” he added. “I’m really happy to meet him.”

Son’s emotional Tottenham farewell

Son scored 173 times in 454 appearances for Spurs, his final competitive outing coming in the Europa League final win against Manchester United on May 21. His move to LAFC during pre-season meant he never had a proper send-off — until now.

A mural celebrating the South Korean star was unveiled on Tottenham High Road hours before kickoff. Later, Son addressed a crowd of 47,821 inside the stadium, telling them: “I will always be Spurs.”

Speaking to Korean reporters afterward, Son reflected on the homecoming:

“I’m happy to be back in a place where I spent my youth and is like a home.
I’m so grateful that so many fans welcomed me and cheered for me. The flight was longer than I expected, but I had a really happy day. Thank you so much.”

Young Spurs players inspired

Mathys Tel — only added to Tottenham’s Champions League squad this week as injury cover for Dominic Solanke — expressed his delight at seeing Son once more.

“Sonny is like my big brother,” Tel said. “He’s always texting me, always supporting me. We’re back in the Champions League, we won, and Sonny was here… so many good things.”

“Sonny is a big legend at Tottenham,” he continued. “When someone like him comes back after everything he’s done, you give everything for him.”