Just in – Barcelona director meets with €70 million-rated former La Masia gem’s camp | OneFootball

Barcelona sporting director Deco continues to work tirelessly to strengthen the squad in the ongoing transfer window.

Things have gone quiet for the Blaugrana after the arrival of Joan Garcia, with Nico Williams pulling a last-minute U-turn and Luis Diaz’s pursuit not progressing either.

Xavi Simons on the agenda?

Now, though, in a major update, SPORT’s Carlos Monfort reports that Barcelona director Deco met with the agents of RB Leipzig sensation Xavi Simons at midday today.

Italian super-agent Ali Barat, despite not being Simons’ official representative, has significant influence in the Dutch player’s decision-making process.

He attended the meeting alongside Faustino Simons, the player’s brother. The meeting, held in a Barcelona hotel, lasted around 45 minutes.

Barat is currently touring Europe, meeting with sporting directors of top clubs to stay informed about the transfer market and explore potential deals involving his clients.

Deal for Simons unlikely

Xavi Simons is a former La Masia talent. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Simons is a versatile attacking midfielder, who spent nine years at La Masia between 2010 and 2019 before leaving for PSG. As such, rumours of a possible return have always done the rounds.

However, given Barcelona’s current financial situation, the possibility of signing Simons is extremely remote, though this was the main topic discussed in the meeting.

The 22-year-old’s price is currently well beyond the club’s reach, particularly considering Hansi Flick’s recent comments about the midfield being overcrowded.

As such, the meeting between Deco and Simons’ camp was purely an exploratory move – an initial point of contact to express interest and maintain awareness of the player’s status in the market.

Simons has a market value of €70 million and has made it clear to those close to him that he intends to leave RB Leipzig this summer.

While he has received attractive offers from Premier League clubs, he has always dreamed of returning to Barcelona since rising to prominence. But the chances of that happening this summer are extremely slim.