Chelsea are reportedly closing on a deal to sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig. The Dutch forward can play as a winger as well and will add to the many options the Royal Blues have in their attack. The 22-year-old forward has been one of the stand-out players in the Bundesliga for the last two seasons.
As of now, Bayern Munich are also interested in signing Simons. However, the German giants will have to contend with Chelsea in the transfer market for that. Still, Chelsea are the frontrunners to secure the signature of Simons.
Xavi Simons Adds to Chelsea’s Squad Depth
Should Simons sign for the West London club, Simons will find it difficult to break into the playing XI. Chelsea have Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Joao Felix as options already.
Enzo Maresca should find it tough to accommodate his other new signings, Pedro, Gittens and Delap, in the starting XI. Therefore, giving Simons a chance to play will not be easy for the Italian.
Simons is fast and has very good passing abilities. However, the Royal Blues already have a very creative player in Cole Palmer playing as their No. 10.
Hence, Simons might have to sit on the bench and be used as a substitute primarily during the initial stages of the season. Should he be able to perform really well, his chances of featuring in the starting XI will increase.
Simons has scored 21 goals in 76 matches for RB Leipzig in his two seasons with them. He also featured in the Bundesliga team of the season in 2023/24.
Prior to that, he won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain in the 2021/22 season, though he did not play in many matches for the French side that season.
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Chelsea’s Collection of Youngsters Is Enviable
The Royal Blues have a plethora of talented youngsters playing for them. In that regard, they can be compared with Manchester City. The Blues have spent a fortune in the transfer market under Todd Boehly during the last few seasons and have probably started reaping its rewards.
They have already won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup.
Although the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City are ahead of them in the pecking order at the moment, Maresca’s men would like to believe that they are in contention to win the Premier League next season.
For that to happen, their new signings must be able to fulfil the expectations that the supporters have of them. Simons should keep that in mind and also understand that the pressure to perform in England will be higher than that in Germany.
However, the Dutch international has proved his worth in high-pressure situations like the Euro 2024 for his national team. It should therefore not be a big issue for him to handle the pressure at Chelsea.
Should the deal be finalised in the end, the Royal Blues will benefit significantly from that. It remains to seen whether Chelsea succeed in ensuring the services of Simons.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Picture Point LE
Recording Date: 24.07.2025