Xavi Simons extends loan at RB Leipzig from PSG

After weeks of transfer tension that saw Netherlands attacker Xavi Simons linked with Bayern Munich, Xavi Simons has decided to extend his loan at Leipzig. Simons will join a Leipzig side that finished fourth in last year's Bundesliga and will play in the new-look Champions League group stage. Simons made 43 appearances for RB Leipzig, […] After weeks of transfer tension that saw Netherlands attacker Xavi Simons linked with Bayern Munich, Xavi Simons has decided to extend his loan at Leipzig. Simons will join a Leipzig side that finished fourth in last year’s Bundesliga and will play in the new-look Champions League group stage. Simons made 43 appearances for RB Leipzig, scoring 10 goals and adding 15 assists. He finished second in assists among fellow Bundesliga players and earned a reputation as one of the most creative players in Europe. Simons, who starred at Euro 2024 with the Dutch, saw interest from Bayern, Arsenal, and Manchester City. Simons ends speculation by returning to RB Leipzig His transfer speculation started after his impressive performances at Euro 2024. Simons played in all of the Netherlands’ matches while in Germany, registering three assists and a vital semifinal goal against England. It looked like Simons would return to PSG after the tournament, joining a stacked attack that includes Bradley Barcola and Randal Kolo Muani. However, if Simons returned to the Parc des Princes before January 2025, PSG would have to pay PSV a big fee. PSG signed Simons for $4 million from PSV in July 2023. PSV would also take most of the PSG’s transfer fee if they sold Simons before the date. It meant that PSG was more than eager to ship Simons out to an interested club. PSG shopped Simons on the transfer market to Chelsea and Arsenal, but Bayern and Leipzig were the most interested. Bayern wanted to sign Simons to a season-long loan and then pursue Leverkusen winger Florian Wirtz in the next summer window. Eventually, Simons decided to sign with Leipzig. He cited Leipzig’s ability to develop players and hopes of competing at the top level as the primary reasons for the move. “We want to compete at the top again in the Bundesliga and the (DFB) Pokal and stay in the Champions League for as long as possible. We want to do better than we did last year in all of these competitions,” Simons said. “We’ll go into the season again with a strong squad, something the club and coaching team also made clear to me. I’m extremely motivated to keep on improving and to play my part in the club’s success. Simons decision shakes up Bayern plans Without Simons, Bayern still needs a reliable attacker. They’ve looked inconsistent up top despite the presence of guys like Jamal Musiala and Mathys Tel. They want to get rid of aging players past their best. They’re shopping Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, and Leroy Sané around the transfer market. Their answer comes in Rennes attacker Desiré Doué, on duty with France at the Olympics. Doué is a wizard, a gifted dribbler whose strength as a player lies in his technical skill. The 19-year-old slots in as a left-winger, an area of weakness for Bayern. Bayern reportedly leads PSG in the race for Doué because of their aggressiveness; they’ve pushed Rennes to agree to a fee. Bayern could pay as much as $55 million. PSG likely won’t make more big signings after they signed Benfica midfielder Joao Neves for $77 million. Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams recently rejected PSG, while Victor Osimhen is arguably the most in-demand striker on the market and a move for Doué looks unlikely. They look set to finish a $49 million deal for Frankfurt center-back William Pacho and have been linked to Lyon wonderkid Rayan Cherki. PHOTOS: IMAGO