At just 22 years old, Xavi Simons already has a richness of high -level football experience to his credit.
The young Dutchman, an offensive midfielder who can also play as a winger, spent the majority of his years of training at FC Barcelona La Masia Academy before a controversial transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, for whom he made his senior debut.
No Champions League, no party
A spell at the PSV before returning to PSG preceded a loan to RB Leipzig before signing permanently for the Bundesliga outfit on January 30, 2025.
A few months later, however, the player apparently informed the club that he no longer wanted to play for them because of their inability to qualify for the Champions League, and this sparked one of the summer strangulation transfer stories.
Reports in Spain suggested that the sports director of Barcelona, Deco, spent 45 minutes with representatives of the player, including his brother.
Given the requested price of 70 million euros from Leipzig for the player, unless the Catalan club has something in its round which is kept as a commercial secret at present, it would be very difficult for them to find this kind of money given their financial constraints.
Enough Barça field environments already?
It could also be said that with people like Fermin Lopez, Frenkie de Jong and Dani Olmo, the club already has enough attackers.
Factor in Pedri, Gavi, Marc Bernal and Marc Casado and there is no spare place anywhere in the midfield, unless Hansi Flick plans to look at different formations.
And yet, we think that the player has always had the goal of returning to the club which shaped him, so for this purpose, perhaps that an exchange of a kind could be on the cards.
Notwithstanding the problem of over -finding in the midfield, Barcelona’s interest is always understandable.
Barcelona’s interest is understandable
First and foremost, being a Masia scholar would almost certainly ensure that there would be no settlement in terms of adaptation to a certain style. The “Barça Way” if you prefer.
In addition, it has a versatility that could be extremely beneficial for the club, and its dynamism in possession as well as the ability to create chances are well known.
A player who likes to operate between the defensive lines, his skills are such that he remains an awkward client in flight and in possession of the ball. Without forgetting to be quick when the opportunity arises.
With Barcelona looking for certain moments during the 2024/25 season, the rhythm injection that Simons would bring could be exactly what the film is looking for.
Excellent passage and defensive statistics
As you would expect for a Dutch graduate in Barcelona, its passing statistics are always excellent.
In 2024/25, its 553 assists ending in the last third of the field were more than 200 more than anyone in the Leipzig team.
83% clarification could make with a few minor adjustments, although one should not be too hard for the player since he was often the point of support from his sides.
He was one of only three players to start each match for which they were selected from Leipzig last season, so there is clearly no questioning point on his reliability either, nor on his defensive attributes.
So often rented for the way he advances and affects the play, the work he puts to help his defense is often overlooked.
Its success rate of 76.7% tackle is only slightly worse than the 77.4% of RIDLE BAKU and is the result of a single additional temple. Simons has lost seven times from 30 plated made, while Baku’s 31 attempts give it the slight statistical advantage.
Eight assists and 11 goals
Eight assists during the campaign were also a high team, as is its 60 chances created. Add his 11 goals (only Openda and Benjamin Sesko laws have scored more), coupled with his information at stake and what we would expect transparent integration into the team, it is difficult to plead in question against Barça which did not try their luck.
Openda and Sesko are also the only two players with more than nine quick breaks of Simons from last season.
This ability to go to rhythm through a congestioned midfielder is something that Barcelona has been missing for some time now, and with a set-piece execution becoming a functionality for the side of Hansi Flick, having a player with a free kick of 0.30 would clearly be an asset.
Xavi Simons check all the boxes … but Barça does not need a blanket
A combative player who also won six yellow cards last season, he must be authorized to reign to dictate the game for his employers, and this could be the only question mark, except financial, who will see the hierarchy of Barcelona comply with detail with a little more vigor than usual.
He is the right age, has the right temperament and skills, however, all the facets of his game can be covered by players who are already in situ, and Barça is not yet able to buy players for good.
(Tagstranslate) Global analysis