Arsenal left reeling as sporting director announces Mbappe decision

Imre Himmelbauer

• Updated: 19 Feb 2024 16:47 GMT
• 3 min read

Due to the departure of Kylian Mbappé, Xavi Simons is definitely on his way back to Paris Saint-Germain.

The Dutchman is loaned by RB Leipzig from the Paris club this season without a purchase option. In Germany, they had hoped to be able to keep the 20-year-old breakout star for longer, but PSG are not interested in an extended loan period due to the departure of Mbappé.

"For us, things are now going in the wrong direction," Rouven Schröder, sporting director of the Bundesliga club, confirmed to Sky Germany. "At the end of the season, Simons will return to Paris." However, the dealmaker has not yet fully given up. "We may have another chance to ask again in the summer."

Collateral damage for Arsenal

It was recently revealed that Mbappé had announced internally that he would leave PSG at the end of this season and on Monday morning Marca reported that the attacker has agreed personal terms with Real Madrid.

Sources with knowledge of the negotiations say that Mbappé will receive an annual salary of between €15 million and €20m plus several possible bonuses. This immediately makes him the club's highest-paid player.

Simons is seen by PSG as a good replacement for the 25-year-old Frenchman, who often plays on the left wing and as a striker in Paris. Simons can play on both wings and as an attacking midfielder. This season, he has recorded 8 goals and 9 assists in 31 matches.

Schröder confirming that he will head back to Paris to be the successor to Mbappe is not just a blow for Leipzig but also for Arsenal. As FootballTransfers exclusively revealed in January, the Dutch sensation had been seen by the Gunners as an alternative to Pedro Neto should they fail to land the Wolves star in the summer.