In a recent report, Spanish news outlet Fichajes mentioned that Arsenal would have to pay €50m for PSV Eindhoven sensation Xavi Simons. It has been claimed that the Gunners are showing interest in recruiting the Dutch playmaker this summer.
Simons’ Rapid Rise In Dutch Football
Simons has enjoyed a productive campaign at the Dutch club as he has put in a run of decent performances for them in the final third. The 20-year-old has banged in 22 goals and grabbed 12 assists in 48 matches for PSV this season across various competitions.
The Dutch sensation has proven his worth as a reliable performer in the opponent’s half by averaging 1.4 tackles, 2.7 shots, 1.7 key passes and 2.2 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Dutch Eredivisie. He has even been careful when distributing the ball after completing 82.3% of his attempted passes in the Dutch top-flight (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the Philips Stadion is set to expire in the summer of 2027. Hence, it won’t be easy for the Gunners to snap Simons up ahead of the new campaign.
What Will Simons Bring To Arsenal?
Simons is proficient at finding space for himself and can shoot the ball with power and accuracy from long range. He has got the vision to engineer some inviting chances for his teammates in the final third and is a decent dribbler with the ball as well. Simons is primarily an attacking midfielder but can also fill in as a winger on either flank if asked to do so.
The Dutch youngster has already begun to show what he is capable of in the Dutch Eredivisie. However, there are some concerns over whether he would be able to maintain his impressive numbers in English football if Arsenal manage to bring him on board in the upcoming transfer window.
We can expect Simons to bring more firepower to Mikel Arteta’s frontline. He could even offer some healthy competition for Martin Odegaard at the North London club next season. Therefore, Arteta should set his sights on getting a deal done for the Dutch whizkid when the transfer window reopens later this year as he has the potential to be a success story at the Emirates Stadium in the long run.
