Xavi Simons’ agent explains reason for Chelsea deal collapse | OneFootball

Xavi Simons’ (22) agent, Ali Barat, has told French media RMC Sport why his client’s prospective move to Chelsea fell through this summer.

Former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Simons was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea throughout the summer. The Dutchman was keen to leave RB Leipzig, having significantly enhanced his reputation since leaving PSG to move to Germany.

A move to England, and more specifically to London, looked on the cards, as Chelsea looked to further bolster their attacking options. Fabrizio Romano understood that Simons had prioritised a move to Stamford Bridge, however, Barat has now revealed how certain “constraints” held back the move.

“Tottenham and Chelsea are both fantastic clubs with solid projects, and there was real interest from both sides,” Barat told RMC Sport in an exclusive interview.

Barat added, “Chelsea were always clear with us. They had certain constraints that made it difficult to move forward with discussions.”

‘No regrets’ about Simons’ failure to establish himself at PSG

As a result, Tottenham Hotspur, returning to the UEFA Champions League this season, following last season’s triumph in the UEFA Europa League, swooped in, signing the playmaker in a €65m deal. He has made two appearances for Spurs so far.

“When talks with Tottenham started, it became clear that this would be a project that would be a perfect fit for Xavi,” added Barat, who went on to insist that he had “no regrets” about Simons’ failure to establish himself at PSG.

“PSG weren’t in their current phase of developing young players, even if he did play a few matches. In football, there is no place for regrets. You always have to look ahead of you,” said his agent.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle