Manchester United hold ‘concrete’ interest in RB Leipzig attacking midfielder Xavi Simons, although two key issues could scupper a blockbuster summer deal.
The 21-year-old captured the attention of football fans worldwide when he impressed for the Netherlands in Euro 2024 and has continued that form in the Bundesliga.
Simons has had an interesting journey so far, having joined Paris Saint-Germain from PSV Eindhoven in 2023, before being sent to RB Leipzig, where he spent two years on loan before the move was made permanent for £67m (including add-ons). This season, the Dutchman has made 25 appearances across all competitions, notching eight goals and five assists in the process.
According to journalist Christian Falk, Leipzig won’t be able to prevent Simons leaving this summer if he decides he wants to take on a new challenge in the Premier League, and his price tag is met.
“It’s clear any offer needs to be over €50m — €60m wouldn’t be enough, but if it gets to €70m, they can’t say no to Xavi if he wants to make the next step to the Premier League. Everyone knows that he’s going to make this step but it’s not clear if he makes the move this summer or the next,” Falk told CaughtOffside.
“There has to be a club very concrete on him. Manchester City like him, but United were, in the past, always a concrete option.
“It’s not so easy with money at the moment at United, of course, so we have to see if there’s a club around willing to pay €70m. Simons is playing well but he’s not playing at a world-class level at the moment, so we have to see.”
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Man Utd face two obstacles in Xavi Simons pursuit
Simons has been on Man Utd‘s radar for some time, with the interest dating back to during Erik ten Hag’s time in charge. He had a history of signing players from his native Netherlands, but it seems the Red Devils remain keen on Simons, even under new manager Ruben Amorim.
As Falk references in his report, however, Man Utd do not have huge funds at their disposal and must also be mindful of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
That means that player sales may be required before they can splash €70m (£58.6m, $75.2m) on Simons – a significant hurdle to a potential deal. They also have other priorities for the summer, most notably the need for a new striker.
Meanwhile, recent reports have suggested that along with Man City, Liverpool are also keeping tabs on the Leipzig attacking midfielder’s situation. If the two Premier League clubs come in for Simons, they may be tough for Man Utd to beat, given they can offer European football – another significant obstacle.
It was claimed earlier this week that Simons is ‘among Liverpool’s top three targets this summer’, alongside Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni and Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez.
€70m is a relatively modest fee to pay for a player of Simons’ quality and potential, so there will no doubt be offers for the Leipzig star in the coming months.
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