National football coach Ronald Koeman has described the injury to Xavi Simons as “dramatic” for Oranje because he will not be available to play during this summer’s World Cup.

“Xavi’s injury was a real blow,” Koeman said on Thursday evening at a first division gala. “You are watching the match and then you see it happen. And you can tell by Xavi’s reaction that it is serious. This is dramatic for us.”

The 23-year-old midfielder picked up an injury to his right knee in a collision with defender Hugo Bueno during Saturday’s tie between Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Simons first wanted to play on but later was stretchered off the field. He will now be out of the game for six to nine months.

He was part of the Dutch World Cup squad in 2022 and the European championships team in 2024. “He is a player with a lot of talent and options,” Koeman said. “The only advantage is that he is young and will play more tournaments in the future.”

Koeman is also without midfielder Jeredy Schouten who is out through injury, and is now considering his options. PSV midfielder Guus Til and Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert have been tipped as possibles, but Kluivert is also currently dealing with an injury.

The Dutch squad of 26 players must be finalised by May 30. The World Cup kicks off on June 11 with Oranje first in action against Japan on June 14. Sweden and Tunisia complete the line up in group F.