Xavi Simons, a 19-year-old Dutch midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain and a former Barcelona youth squad, is leaving the Parisian club to sign a long-term contract with PSV Eindhoven, until June 30, 2027. He has long been talked about as one of the great promises of the European football scene. He already stood out with Barça at a very young age and aroused the attention of the French giant.
The contractual relationship of the young Dutch international with PSG expired on June 30, although everything seemed to indicate that his continuity was a fact. The player's participation in the Youth League was brilliant, signing four goals and six assists in seven games. In addition, he debuted with the first team in Ligue 1 (128 minutes in total) and in the Coupe de France (190 minutes and one assist).
However, there seems to be no room in PSG's star-studded squad and Simons has shown that he needs to start competing at the top level now to realize his full potential. PSV ended the year in second place, two points behind Ajax Amsterdam, the birthplace of the Eindhoven club's brand-new signing. The leader on the pitch was Mario Götze, the player with the most games played in the season and the team's third-highest scorer with 12 goals. After the announcement of his transfer to Eintracht Frankfurt, Xavi Simons could be his natural substitute.
"We have seen almost all his games this season, as well as games for the national team. We also saw him live in the Youth League in Leipzig, Paris, Bruges, Manchester and against Sevilla. He convinced us. Xavi has everything it takes to become a an important PSV player. He's ready to get it," said John de Jong, the team's sporting director.
Van Nistelrooy is the manager of this squad from the bench. The former Dutch striker had already shown a possible interest in the midfielder during the season, but it is still a surprise that he managed to sign him without having to pay a transfer fee. However, according to Diario AS, PSG does not disregard the player and has a termination clause in his contract at the end of the year that could be activated for four million euros.
Xavi Simons has said goodbye through an Instagram post of the team and the Parisian fans: "After three wonderful years at the club, it is time to say goodbye. I am very grateful to the coaches, my teammates and all the staff. The PSG will always be in my heart."
Speaking to the PSV website, he assured that "it is a great club". "The ambition expressed by the management has excited me. I spoke to the coach very early on and he told me about the project that the club has started. I know how he wants to play and how he sees my role in it. I am at a point in my career where I need to start getting minutes. That's possible here," Simons confessed.
