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12 hours ago
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Chelsea have signed some exceptional young players in this summer transfer window, and especially the arrival of Joao Pedro helped them in their Club World Cup triumph.
However, the Blues are in no mood to slow down in the market, as they continue to get linked with many other players.
According to reports via Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg, Chelsea are close to reaching a verbal agreement with RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons.
The Dutchman is reportedly looking to move out of Leipzig this summer after they failed to qualify for European competition last season.
Simmons has been linked with several clubs, including Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.
However, as per reports, Bayern Munich only consider Simons as an alternative option for Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade, who remains their priority.
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The Bundesliga have been a happy hunting ground for Chelsea, as they also signed Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund.
If the deal materialises, Simons will compete with Gittens for a place on the left flank. However, both players have different strengths, providing Enzo Maresca with flexibility.
What will Simons offer to this Chelsea squad?
Chelsea have already sold Noni Madueke and are keen to offload Christopher Nkunku, and in that place, they are planning to bring Simons.
According to reports, Simons could move away from Leipzig, and the Bundesliga outfit are open to selling him this summer for a bid in the region of £60m ($70m).
While Leipzig struggled last season, Simons had a pretty decent campaign with 11 goals and seven assists from 33 appearances across competitions.
As per FBref, he averaged 4.71 shot-creating actions, 5.79 progressive passes, along with 78.1% pass completion per 90 minutes in the 2024/25 season.
The youngster is known for his progressive carries and involvement in attacking transitions, where he uses his quick bursts of acceleration.
He could flourish in the left half-space and provide creativity and link up play with Chelsea's forwardline to midfield.
Considering Chelsea are willing to sell Nkunku and Carney Chukwuemeka this summer, and filling that spot with Simons looks like a definite upgrade.
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