In a recent report, L’Equipe mentioned that Arsenal are among the clubs hoping to land Paris Saint-Germain ace Xavi Simons who spent last season on loan at Red Bull Leipzig. It is believed that the Gunners are facing competition in the form of Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Manchester City in the race to land the Dutch talent this summer.
Simons’ Impressive Loan Spell In Germany
The 21-year-old caught the eye with his performances for Leipzig in the last Bundesliga campaign. Simons did well to score eight goals and secure 13 assists in 32 appearances for the German club in the league.
The Dutch playmaker was a consistent performer in the final third and deserves a ton of credit for averaging 2.5 shots, 2.5 key passes and 2.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in Bundesliga football. He has also been tidy when distributing possession in the opponent’s half, as evidenced by his pass success rate of 82% in the top tier of German football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at Paris Saint-Germain will run out in the summer of 2027. Thus, it won’t be easy for the Gunners to recruit him on a cut-price deal in this transfer window.
TOPSHOT – Netherlands’ forward #07 Xavi Simons reacts during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group D football match between Poland and the Netherlands at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on June 16, 2024. (Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP)
Should Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta Move In For Simons?
Simons is a great dribbler with the ball at his feet and has got the vision to set up a few promising chances for his teammates to find the back of the net. He can even strike the ball with power and precision from long range.
The Dutch attacker can contribute by scoring and creating his fair share of goals in the final third. He mainly plays as an attacking midfielder but can also operate as a wide player on either flank if told to do so by his manager.
We can expect Simons to bring more firepower to Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta’s frontline. He has what it takes to offer some healthy competition for Martin Odegaard at the North London club in the coming seasons.
At 21, Simons has got a bright future ahead of him, so Arteta would be wise to move in for him later this summer. He is already good enough to help the Gunners compete for some major trophies over the next few years.
