- 9 hours ago
Man Utd 'keen' to sign long-term target in marquee summer transfer
Suraj Radia
- 20 Mar 2025 16:10 GMT
- 4 min read
News
Manchester United have already identified a major piece of the summer transfer plans, with the club said to be ‘keen’ on a finally signing a long-term target, with one crucial caveat.
United are looking to overhaul their squad this summer, although the scale of their spending will be determined by outgoings, with offers likely to be considered for virtually every player.
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Current ETV
Xavi Simons
M (L), AM (C)
RB Leipzig
Xavi Simons
M (L), AM (C)
RB Leipzig
ETV Range
€62.9M - €76.9M
The club already know they will net a substantial fee even if Chelsea try and back out of permanently signing Jadon Sancho, while Aston Villa remain interested in taking up their option in excess of €40 million in Marcus Rashford’s loan.
Such windfalls will be crucial in any deal for Xavi Simons, with Sky Sport Germany claiming that United have ‘never lost focus’ in trying to sign the RB Leipzig wonderkid.
Simons joined Leipzig permanently last summer for €50m and only just signed a new contract less than two months ago but the Bundesliga side will not stand in the 21-year-old’s way of a move if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.
However, the sticking point for United may end up being the fee, with Leipzig willing to facilitate Simons’ departure only if they receive an offer north of €80m – a figure which Ruben Amorim’s side will struggle to meet as it stands.
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United aiming to take advantage of Simons uncertainty
United had tracked Simons last summer but the Dutch international opted to re-join Leipzig permanently after a successful loan spell with the German outfit.
However, Simons curiously signed a new deal at the end of January which only ties him to Leipzig until 2027, indicating that the forward may see his long-term future elsewhere, especially with his side currently three points outside the Champions League qualification spots in the Bundesliga.
United will push to sign a striker and a versatile attacking midfielder this summer but, while Simons is among the club’s top targets, Leipzig’s asking price could make a deal a non-starter, particularly if other teams enter the race for his signature.
The Bundesliga is expected to be a league that remains in United’s thoughts throughout the summer, with the Red Devils reportedly also monitoring Simons’ Leipzig teammate Benjamin Sesko as well as Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike.
