Chelsea will look to sign 22-year-old Dutch playmaker Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, but they would prefer to sign Aston Villa playmaker Morgan Rogers this summer.
According to a report by Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Xavi Simons and Morgan Rogers are subjects of interest from Chelsea. The Blues are eager to bolster their offensive unit by signing a versatile playmaker in the summer transfer window. So, the RB Leipzig mainstay and Aston Villa attacker have emerged on the West London club’s radar.
The FIFA Club World Cup winners are making progress in the talks to sign the Dutchman in the summer transfer window. However, Chelsea would prefer to sign Rogers from Aston Villa, with Alejandro Garnacho another candidate on the Premier League club’s wishlist.
Xavi Simons has come leaps and bounds since joining RB Leipzig from Paris Saint-Germain, with the Bundesliga club completing a permanent move earlier this year. The 22-year-old has turned out 76 times thus far for Leipzig while chipping in with 21 goals and 23 assists. His progress has piqued the attention of several high-profile clubs, including Chelsea.
Morgan Rogers is also a target for Chelsea, and the English international has gone from strength to strength since joining Aston Villa from Middlesbrough in February 2024. The 22-year-old has turned out over 50 times thus far for Aston Villa while chipping in with 17 goals and 16 assists.
Chelsea’s interest in Xavi Simons and Morgan Rogers is perplexing. With Cole Palmer the first-choice option to reprise the no. 10 role, the Blues do not need another candidate for the position unless Enzo Maresca plans to make heavy rotations in the 2025/26 season. While Palmer can play on the right flank, he makes his best impact through the central areas.
Nevertheless, Simons and Rogers are on Chelsea’s wishlist, with the former already striking an agreement on personal terms with the West London club. However, Rogers is the top target for Chelsea, with Simons and Garnacho being backup options for the 2024/25 UEFA Europa Conference League winners.
While Rogers is Chelsea’s top target, convincing Aston Villa to part ways with the 22-year-old Englishman will be a tall order. So, it is hardly surprising that the talks to sign Simons have progressed in the last few weeks.
