Aston Villa are reportedly keen on signing 21-year-old Dutch playmaker Xavi Simons, who wants to rejoin Barcelona this summer.
According to HITC, Aston Villa will provide stiff competition to Arsenal and Chelsea in the race to sign Xavi Simons in the summer transfer window. However, the Dutchman, whose valuation is around £50 million, wishes to join Barcelona instead.
It will be interesting to see if the Premier League clubs can convince the 21-year-old attacker to move to England instead of completing his desired transfer this summer. Simons has established himself as one of the finest team attackers in European football, and he has 10 goals and 15 assists to his name in all competitions this season.
The player was on loan at RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga this season. It will be interesting to see if PSG decide to hand him a first-team role next season. They could certainly use more quality in the attack, especially after the departure of Kylian Mbappe. The Dutch playmaker could be a quality long-term option for them.
The youngster is valued at £50 million, and the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea could certainly afford him. However, the asking price could be problematic for Aston Villa. The West Midlands club have secured Champions League qualification, and they need to improve multiple areas of their squad. Spending £50 million on one player might not be ideal.
Arsenal and Chelsea want Simons
Arsenal have not been able to rotate players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli. Signing a versatile attacker like Xavi Simons would be a wise decision, thus explaining their interest in him. On the other hand, Chelsea need to add more goals and creativity to their attack as well, and the 21-year-old seems like the perfect option for them.
Even though the player wants to move to Barcelona, the Spanish giants might struggle to afford him. They are going through financial difficulties, and it remains to be seen how the situation develops.
Arsenal are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and they have been competing for major trophies consistently. The opportunity to join them can be attractive for most players. However, Chelsea have missed out on Champions League qualification, and they have finished in the sixth spot this term. They are going through a period of rebuild, and the 21-year-old might not be keen on joining an unstable project.
