DECRYPTION – Author of a brilliant season in the Netherlands, the 20-year-old Dutch international is a choice catch for Paris-SG.
End of suspense. Talked about for several months, since his departure last summer in fact, the return of Xavi Simons is a big blow for Paris Saint-Germain. Snatched from Barça in 2019, the 20-year-old Dutch neo-international (4 caps) had been little used in Rouge et Bleu (11 matches, 1 assist) before saying yes to PSV Eindhoven in 2022. Departure without compensation transfer, but with a clause estimated at €6m. An obol for a player who comes out of a season with 19 league goals and 22 in all competitions and who enjoys a rating of around €50m. It was still necessary that the native of Amsterdam agree to return, when he was (very) courted. What he did. It is said that President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi spared no effort in order to tip the scales, multiplying conversations via zoom with the player and his agent.
Except to imagine the departure of players who evolve in its preferential zone, rather on the left, we are therefore talking about Kylian Mbappé (whose situation is more blurred than ever) and Neymar Jr, the club is therefore considering the option of a loan for this season. And this in order to give the player additional experience, to avoid seeing him mope on the bench and not to break his momentum. Option to purchase or not, contradictory information is circulating. In any case, Paris-SG will have the possibility of repatriating Xavi Simons in 2024, that’s already for sure.
Central element… or bargain
In the long term, the club believes in fact, according to our information, that the former resident of La Masia has the makings of a player who can become “a central elementof the Parisian formation. Or a player who could fill the coffers… It will depend on the evolution of the team this year, arrivals and departures therefore. The club with 11 French championship titles will therefore have everything right down the line in any case. Winner every time! Moreover, some leaders are delighted to see that the boy has kept his promise, he who had assured that he would not leave the nest without transfer compensation. We can’t help but think that this observation refers to the Mbappé file, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi having already explained publicly that Bondy’s crack had made this kind of remark, which is not as obvious as that.
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It remains to be seen where Xavi Simons could land. Fabricius Roman quickly indicated, on Sunday, after the formalization of PSV, that RB Leipzig – which lost former Parisian Christopher Nkunku this summer – is on pole. The Team confirms but assures that Manchester United still believes in it. Gianluca DiMarzio evokes for its part the Tottenham option, explaining that the capital club would like to place the 20-year-old left-hander there in order to lower the note to recruit… Harry Kane. The Italian journalist also adds that Paris is talking more than ever with the Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes for Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) and Joao Felix (Atlético Madrid).
Xavi wants to succeed at PSG.
Player’s entourage (via L’Équipe)
One thing is certain: there will be an announcement this Monday at 2 p.m. This is what Xavi Simons himself indicated on social networks. Perhaps simply to discuss his return to Paris, or to talk about the club where he could go on loan. Regarding RB Leipzig, his entourage in any case says this in the columns of the newspaper The Team : «It is above PSV, in a major Championship. It’s ideal to redo a full season before returning to Paris with new arguments to make a permanent place in a club where Xavi wants to succeed. Especially since next year, Neymar or Mbappé should no longer be there.“Remember that “Ney” is linked to Paris until… 2027 and that you should never say never with Kylian Mbappé, for the time being under contract until 2024. In any case, PSG maneuvered perfectly. All options are open for the future. Smart.
