Xavi Simons buys vintage 1993 Flamengo shirt at London retailer

A classic 1993 Flamengo shirt bearing the number 7 of Renato Gaúcho, complete with Umbro manufacturing and a prominent Lubrax sponsor logo across the chest, now sits in the personal collection of Tottenham midfielder Xavi Simons.

The London Purchase That Stirred Rio Supporters

The vintage jersey entered the 23-year-old Dutch international’s possession after being purchased at Classic Football Shirts, a retailer specializing in retro sports apparel with locations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States. The retailer specifically has a shop in London where the player bought the item. The retail outfit published a photographic record of the player posing with the red-and-black jersey, triggering immediate reactions across digital platforms. Comment sections quickly filled with messages from supporters welcoming the playmaker to the Rio de Janeiro club and praising his choice of vintage gear. Some supporters even joked that the interest stemmed from television broadcasts of matches in England. On the company’s website, where various other Brazilian football items are featured, the highest-priced Flamengo jersey listed for sale dates back to 1980 at a cost of 419.99 dollars. Previously, the midfielder visited Brazil in May for a club excursion with RB Leipzig before facing Santos, mentioning clubs including Palmeiras, Botafogo, and Flamengo during an interview.

Financial Realities Block Any Brazilian Move

While internet users flooded the player’s social media channels with speculative transfer messages, media analysis indicates any potential move to Brazilian football remains financially unrealistic. Tottenham secured the midfielder from RB Leipzig in mid-2025 for a fixed fee of approximately 60 million euros, tying him to a contract for four more seasons. Furthermore, club management faces projected investment restrictions for upcoming transfer windows amid broader regulatory shifts regarding betting sponsorships in Brazil, making a transaction of that magnitude impossible under current economic conditions. Já seria complicado no Mengão com as bets, agora, sem o patrocinador master, é impossível, opined Pedro Paulo Catonho, a journalist for Coluna do Fla, a prominent targeted website covering the Rio de Janeiro club in Brazil. The leadership anticipates scaling back investment power for the upcoming season if betting regulations remain unchanged, with the football director noting a strong possibility of selling players to generate revenue for meeting pending installment payments owed to other clubs for acquisitions.

Knee Surgery Keeps the Playmaker Sidelined

Simons currently remains sidelined from competitive fixtures while completing rehabilitation for an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee. The severe joint injury forced the former Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, PSV, and RB Leipzig player to miss selection for his national team ahead of the World Cup. Having previously logged 41 appearances with five goals and six assists for Tottenham following his transfer, the athlete is entirely focused on medical recovery and regaining peak physical condition before returning to the pitch.