Arsenal emerge as most likely option for Xavi Simons  | OneFootball

Xavi Simons could return to Europe’s top-five leagues after just one season at PSV Eindhoven, with Arsenal setting their sights on the Dutch prodigy.

According to Dutch media outlet VI, the Gunners have identified the Barcelona youth academy graduate as a potential signing ahead of the new season.

Simons went from strength to strength in his maiden Eredivisie campaign, being crowned the joint-top goalscorer alongside Utretcht’s Anastasios Douvikas with 19 goals and eight assists.

Only a year after deeming the 20-year-old surplus to requirements, perennial Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain are contemplating the idea of bringing him back to the Parc des Princes.

Les Parisiens inserted a clause in Simons’ move to Philips Stadium allowing them to re-sign him this summer for only €12 million, which casts doubt on Arsenal’s chances of winning this race.

However, the French outfit will undergo drastic changes in the summer, with Christophe Galtier’s managerial future in Paris hanging by a thread despite a title-winning Ligue 1 campaign.

Arsenal could take advantage of a chaotic situation at PSG to land Simons and maintain the tradition of acquiring top-notch talents and turning them into world-class players.

Mikel Arteta had one of the youngest line-ups in the Premier League in 2022/23 but still managed to push Manchester City to their limits in an enthralling title battle.

But a lack of strength in depth proved all the difference in the title race, with the Gunners running out of steam in the second half of the season, something the Spaniard wants to rectify in the summer.

Simons is open to leaving PSV after the club’s decision to part ways with head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy left him in despair, as the two had a close relationship last season.

With Arsenal ready to part with long-serving stalwart Granit Xhaka, the Dutchman could fill the void next season if they overcome PSG in a potential transfer tug-of-war.