Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen will reportedly provide stiff competition to Barcelona in the race to sign PSG prospect Xavi Simons.
According to a report by Fussball Transfers, Xavi Simons is the subject of interest from Bayer Leverkusen over a possible Bosman move in the summer transfer window. The Paris Saint-Germain prospect is also a target for former club Barcelona, but the Bundesliga giants have already submitted an offer to sign him.
Xavi Simons spent most of his formative years in Spain, including nearly a decade at FC Barcelona before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. But the opportunities have not been forthcoming at Parc des Princes, with the Dutch under-19 international garnering just 296 minutes of game-time across eight appearances this term.
With the 19-year-old’s contract expiring in a few months, Les Parisiens are scrambling to secure his long-term future. But talks between the two parties have not been fruitful thus far, with the situation capturing the attention of some of the most high profile clubs in Europe, including Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen.
The interest from Barcelona is surprising, considering there is no spot in Xavi Hernandez’s setup where Xavi Simons can fit seamlessly. But the teenage prospect can play as a central midfielder or a centre-forward, meaning he could be a viable backup option for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the 2022/23 season, provided a move for Robert Lewandowski does not see the light of day.
But Barcelona will need to be wary of the looming threat of Bayer Leverkusen in the race to sign Xavi Simons from PSG in the summer transfer window. The move to Bundesliga by joining Die Werkself could be attractive for the 19-year-old wonderkid, considering he will get more game-time there than at Barcelona or PSG.
With Florian Wirtz one of the most highly sought-after players in the transfer market, Simons could be a long-term successor for the German international when he eventually exits Bayer Leverkusen. And so, it is hardly surprising that the Bundesliga giants have already submitted an offer to snap up the PSG prospect in a Bosman move in the summer transfer window.
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But the Ligue 1 heavyweights are optimistic about securing the long-term future of the 19-year-old whizkid. That said, several PSG youngsters have left for Bundesliga clubs to great success, with the highly sought-after Christopher Nkunku the prime example of the same. An intriguing transfer window thus beckons Xavi Simons, PSG, Bayer Leverkusen and Barcelona.
