Xavi Simons makes decision over transfer after Arsenal and Chelsea interest

Xavi Simons favours a move to the Premier League with both Arsenal and Chelsea monitoring the RB Leipzig midfielder, according to reports.

RB Leipzig completed an initial €50 million (£41.8m) deal to sign Simons in January after the 22-year-old spent 18 months on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.

However, after missing out on European football altogether last season, RB Leipzig are now open to selling at least one key player with Simons and striker Benjamin Sesko, who is on Arsenal’s summer shortlist, the two candidates to leave.

Simons is not short of interest with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Arsenal all considering a move for the Netherlands international.

On Thursday, Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, met with Simons’ brother Faustino and the midfielder’s advisor, Ali Barat, at a hotel in the city.

Barcelona, however, would struggle to finance a deal for Simons this summer as RB Leipzig are looking for an immediate return on the €50m (£41.8m) they spent to sign the player earlier this year.

Bayern, meanwhile, are said to be admirers of Simons but are prioritising deals for Liverpool winger Luis Diaz and Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, who impressed for Germany at the European Under-21 Championship this summer.

Bayern’s opening bid for Diaz, worth £58.6m, was rejected by Liverpool this week.

Arsenal and Chelsea are both understood to be keeping tabs on Simons’ situation at RB Leipzig but neither Premier League side has followed up with an approach.

According to Bild, Simons favours a move to the Premier League and has sought the help of Barat to help open a discussion with Chelsea.

Barat received the Golden Agent Award in Turin in 2023 after he brokered Chelsea’s £115m deal to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton.

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