Liverpool, Man City €55M-Rated Target’s Decision Influenced PSG’s Sale to RB Leipzig | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain initially took a short-term approach by loaning Xavi Simons to RB Leipzig for another season. However, his future was settled, with the German club securing him permanently this past winter transfer window.

Back in September, Christian Falk reported that Manchester City and Liverpool were keeping a close eye on Simons’ situation. Earlier in the summer, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Manchester United also showed interest, underscoring the Dutch midfielder’s growing reputation among Europe’s top clubs.

More recently, CaughtOffside suggested that Manchester United could have the edge over Manchester City in the race to sign Simons next summer.

Last week, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Simons has officially joined RB Leipzig on a permanent transfer from PSG. The deal is worth €80 million, including add-ons, with an initial fee of €55 million and a sell-on clause.

Romano also reported that Simons’ contract runs until June 2027, though he could be on the move again as early as this summer, with several clubs already monitoring his situation.

The reason for PSG selling Xavi Simons to RB Leipzig

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Now that the winter transfer window has come and gone, there’s a lot of dissecting regarding the transfers made by various clubs. Le Parisien’s Marc Mechenoua touched on why the capital club arranged to sell Simons rather than convincing him to be part of their project.

“Last May, [Simons] had a discussion with Luis Campos and Luis Enrique,” Mechenoua said (h/t Le10Sport). ” He asked for guarantees regarding playing time, but that’s not something Luis Enrique does—he doesn’t say whether a player will be a starter or not. He had no guarantees, which didn’t reassure him, so he chose the loan option, which kept the doors open for his future.”