EXCL: Xavi Simons remains part of PSG future, but what about Marco Verratti? Plus the latest as Moussa Diaby, Axel Disasi and Rayan Cherki attract Premier League suitors

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Xavi Simons a big part of PSG’s future despite back-and-forth saga

Xavi Simons has finalised a move to RB Leipzig on loan after returning to Paris Saint-Germain. We know there was a lot of interest in him and his situation for a while after such an explosive season at PSV Eindhoven last term. The thing I think is important to point out is that PSG always had that €6m buy-back option and it quickly became clear what a bargain that would be. So although there was interest from Manchester United and other big European clubs, as I understand, but PSG pitched the future project to him well and that was enough for him to give the green light to a return to PSG, meaning all they had to do was trigger that buy-back clause. A number of clubs around Europe are certainly disappointed that PSG were able to get him back and under contract until 2027.

The complication then came with the uncertainty surrounding Kylian Mbappe and Neymar’s futures, and so the decision was taken to loan him out, and I think RB Leipzig look an ideal destination for him given their record as youth development specialists. There’s no option to buy at the end of the loan, which is unlike Leipzig, but I think it’s the perfect stage for him and the next phase in his development.

It’s worth noting that PSG wanted to keep Simons last summer, but the problem was at his end, as he, quite understandably, wasn’t convinced that staying at PSG would guarantee him the kind of playing time that he ended up receiving at PSV. It was always a case of damage limitation for Luis Campos from day one really, he had to come in and, of course he immediately recognised Simons’ potential, but had to find a way for PSG to not totally lose out on that. In the end they came up with the option to bring him back on the cheap, which PSV were desperate to try to negotiate out of.