Chelsea Have £10M Transfer Decision in Efforts to Sign Arsenal Target With PSG Clause | OneFootball

Chelsea look poised to sign 22-year-old Xavi Simons, who left PSG earlier this year, with Arsenal also showing interest. Wherever Simons lands, PSG stands to make a good profit from the transfer.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that Leipzig agreed to an €80 million deal for Simons, with €55 million paid upfront. The Dutch midfielder is under contract through June 2027, and PSG included a sell-on clause to ensure they get a cut of any future transfer fee.

That approach is already paying dividends. Adam Crafton of The Athletic says PSG recently received €17 million (£15 million) from Hugo Ekitiké’s move to Liverpool thanks to a similar clause.

Romano also pointed out that Chelsea are making solid progress in personal terms talks. Simons is reportedly open to the move and interested in joining the Premier League club, though discussions are still ongoing.

Chelsea need to make a decision on former PSG ace

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Chelsea are still negotiating with Leipzig over Simons, according to Sky Sports (h/t The Mirror). The two clubs are reportedly about £10 million apart on the player’s valuation.

If the Blues want to sign Simons, Leipzig will need to find a replacement first — and it looks like Harvey Elliott is set to fill that role. Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is expected to be involved in making Elliott’s move to Germany happen, which would then clear the way for Simons’ transfer.

“After suffering from neck pain, Xavi Simons returned to training with the team on Tuesday,” Christian Falk informed CaughtOffside. “Leipzig are still open to selling the midfielder for €60m-70m [£52m-60.7m]. His transfer to Chelsea is on hold until the Blues come up with a suitable offer.

“In that event, Leipzig already have their sights set on a successor in Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott. Head of global football, Jürgen Klopp, who once coached him in Liverpool, is expected to assist in this endeavour. He is Leipzig’s secret weapon and is expected to persuade Elliott to join the project.”

Meanwhile, TalkSPORT recently revealed that Chelsea are close to reaching an agreement on personal terms. Simons is still holding talks with other clubs, including Arsenal, who remain strongly interested.