RB Leipzig permit Xavi Simons to journey to London amid curiosity from Tottenham

RB Leipzig have granted Xavi Simons permission to journey to London as they appear to resolve his future, amid curiosity within the playmaker from Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs are serious about Simons, 22, as they intention to strengthen head coach Thomas Frank’s attacking choices earlier than the September 1 switch deadline – having missed out on offers for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze and misplaced James Maddison to an anterior cruciate ligament damage.

Chelsea have additionally been serious about a transfer for Simons this summer season, and on Thursday reached an settlement with AC Milan over the switch of ahead Christopher Nkunku.

If the curiosity in Simons from the Premier League develops and discussions between the respective events change into extra formal, he will likely be excused from first-team duties at Leipzig for the remainder of the week, together with the sport towards Heidenheim at RB Arena on Saturday.

However, if the curiosity doesn’t progress, then Simons will probably journey again to Germany in time to participate in coaching in preparation for the weekend’s sport.

Leipzig are desirous to resolve the scenario but when their asking worth just isn’t met, they’re adamant that Simons won’t depart the membership and that he will likely be reintegrated as rapidly as doable, because the group look to rebound from final Friday’s 6-0 thrashing by the hands of Bayern Munich.

The Netherlands worldwide is on the market this summer season, regardless of solely becoming a member of the Bundesliga membership on a €50million everlasting deal from Paris Saint-Germain in January.

The Athletic reported in July that Bayern Munich had enquired about Simons after he expressed a want to depart their Bundesliga rivals.

Chelsea, who gained the Club World Cup in July, have loved a busy summer season with Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens all arriving in attacking place with Estevao Willian additionally formally becoming a member of from Palmeiras.

Spurs and England midfielder Maddison is predicted to overlook the vast majority of the season following surgical procedure on his ACL, whereas Eze joined Arsenal from Crystal Palace and Gibbs-White signed a brand new contract at Nottingham Forest.

Frank’s squad has been strengthened this summer season with the everlasting signings of ahead Mohammed Kudus and Mathys Tel, who spent the second half of 2024-25 on mortgage at Spurs, in addition to the addition of Palhinha on mortgage from Bayern Munich.

Simons joined Barcelona’s La Masia academy aged seven earlier than transferring to PSG in 2019.

He was bought to PSV Eindhoven by PSG in 2022 however had such a robust season, registering 22 targets and 11 assists in 48 video games, that the French membership activated his buy-back clause.

He in the end made simply 11 appearances for PSG, spanning two seasons.

Last season he performed 33 occasions in all competitions for Leipzig, registering 11 targets and eight assists, regardless of being dominated out for 15 video games after having surgical procedure on a left ankle ligament damage.

Simons has 28 caps for the Netherlands senior nationwide group after Louis van Gaal gave him his debut at 19.

‘Simons yet to find his best role’

Xavi Simons was meant to be one of many hottest properties throughout this window. When he advised RB Leipzig that he was prepared to depart, again in May, a deal for one in all Europe’s most gifted playmakers was anticipated to be concluded even earlier than the summer season had even begun.

It nonetheless hasn’t occurred. Why?

Like a couple of of his team-mates, Simons suffered from Leipzig’s comparatively poor season (they completed seventh, which was the bottom Bundesliga end since being promoted in 2016), though his particular person manufacturing was comparatively wholesome.

The larger downside has been that groups don’t actually know what to do with him. Simons has performed in a Leipzig system that makes use of a really particular sort of No 10 — half wide-forward, half supporting striker — and there aren’t many groups within the top-five leagues who can accommodate such a participant.

With that doubt, golf equipment baulked on the prospect of paying such a big charge for a participant who stays considerably theoretical. What truly is he? What is his finest position? And it appears solely now, with Leipzig extra lenient on their asking worth and eager to maneuver on, that curiosity is being correctly formalised.

(Photo: Maja Hitij/Getty Images)