Why Xavi Simons could be heading for Barcelona transfer this summer
Robin Bairner
- 9 May 2022 16:32 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona may get their wish to re-sign Xavi Simons from PSG this summer given the signs coming from Parc des Princes.
Simons played with Barca from 2010-2019 before moving to the PSG academy aged 16. He has featured sporadically from the first team but rumours of a return to Camp Nou have never been far away.
The door is open for the 19-year-old Dutchman to complete a move back to Barca this summer, with the teenager’s contract due to expire at the end of June.
Like in the case of Kylian Mbappe, PSG have been fighting to persuade Simons to remain at the club for months, yet he has not committed himself to the cause.
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PSG have let down Simons and Michut
His prospects of staying in France, though, look slim after he was left out of the squad entirely for Sunday’s Ligue 1 encounter against Troyes, a match that finished 2-2.
Previously, head coach Mauricio Pochettino had claimed that once the title was won, the club’s prospects would get a chance to shine in the first team. However, that has not been the case, with Simons and fellow up-and-comer Edouard Michut nowhere to be seen on the teamsheet for Sunday’s game.
Indeed, L’Equipe states that fellow 19-year-old Michut has already moved to express his desire to depart PSG in the search of first-team football. He has played six matches in all competitions this season.
Simons, meanwhile, has featured on eight occasions for the first team and is regarded to be one of the brightest midfield prospects in Europe. This was underlined as he scored four times and created six in just seven UEFA Youth League matches.
PSG have made a habit of allowing their brightest stars to leave much too easily in recent seasons, with Christopher Nkunku the most pertinent example given his form with RB Leipzig this term.
For that reason, there is immense interest in the cases of Michut and Simons in Paris, and it seems that both could well be in line for transfers. Barcelona must be licking their lips.
