Man Utd had reached an agreement to sign Xavi Simons
According to BILD (via SportWitness), manchester united They had a deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Xavi Simons last summer but the Dutchman refused to join them.
Man United have struggled to find a reliable solution from the right wing this season and BILD They are now reporting that they were close to signing Simons from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
The French champions re-signed Simons from PSV Eindhoven by activating a buy-back clause in his contract. BILD claims United subsequently made a £52m bid for his services.
Luis Enrique's team accepted the Red Devils' proposal, but the club could not convince Simons. The Dutchman opted to sign a season-long loan deal with RB Leipzig.
Higher class
Simons is one of the most sought-after young wingers in European football. The 21-year-old has been brilliant on loan at Leipzig, where he has contributed 9 goals and 15 assists so far. Leipzig are already determined to retain him next season and have started talks over another loan deal as they cannot afford a permanent move.
It remains to be seen if United pursue the former PSV player again. The Red Devils have had some success with Alejandro Garnacho on the right flank this season, but the Argentine offers more of a threat from the left flank. The same can be said of Mark Rashford While Antony has barely impressed on the right side of the attack.
Jadon Sancho is another option for the Red Devils, but his current fight with the coach Erik ten Hag It could mean that he has no future at the club. The door is therefore open for another winger to establish himself in the starting line-up, but we would be surprised if Simons was interested in a move to Old Trafford this summer.
Simons was not tempted to move to United last summer despite them finishing third in the first division. The club has had a poor 2023/24 season, in which it is currently eighth in the table. They may not even qualify for European football. Simons might prefer a reunion with Leipzig, where he has made steady progress this season.
