Xavi Simons

[dinostar77]

Don't you think they would have give him a chance in their team if they valued him at 100 million? for some reason PSG doesn't rate him, he had an extraordinary season on 2022/23 in the eredivise and a good season on the bundesliga last year yet they're looking to loan/sell him again? Per reports PSG are looking to buy Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen, so it looks like they are not counting on Simons. Maybe I wen't too low with 50M but it will definitely won't be as high as 100M, those figures are not for players with loan options/obligations.

The €100mil was a quote from Phillpe Auclair the french football correspondent yesterday.

Also PSG don't control where Simons plays, again explained by Auclair yesterday. When. He was signed from Barcelona by PSG he had a unique clause put into the contract so he decides where he plays. If he goes to Leipzig on loan again or stays at PSG, it's his call not the clubs. It's a mental clause, but this is PSG we are talking about.

 

[bosnian_red]

3241 solves that problem so you play Xavi and Bruno next to each other

I would say there's 0 chance we play that formation, thankfully.

We need to build to what United is combined with modern football, and what works for the best sides. We need proper wingers who can run with the ball at their fullbacks (like Garnacho, Nico Williams, etc). If you play with that (which our successful sides have always done and is as "United DNA" as anything... Or hell, all the best sides have this), then there's no room for someone like Xavi Simons, which was also my complaint with Mount. We need što build properly and not just sign a talented #10 who you change everything we want to build to shoehorn him in, when he's not even the level of talent required for a top top team to change everything to get. That's been one of our biggest issues post Sir Alex. We've been changing systems and accommodating good but not great players. Absolutely the wrong approach.

 

[Lash]

Sorry but if even you, who have decided he isnt going to be a fantastic player before having a good opinion on why cant put your finger on it its because you want it to be true not because it is.

Bellingham wouldnt be where he is now if he hadnt gone to Madrid. If Xavi Simons went to Madrid he'd do better than Leipzig

This is what Xavi Simons is right now at 21 years old

Like Olmo next to him, he's that attacking midfielder who can dribble, play a teammate in for chances and score goals. He's not a deeper metronome passer, or a flying winger down the sides. He's the guy who receives a pass in a good position and then does something good with it, take a player on, pass or shot. He's similar to Bruno but better at dribbling and has played a lot more games in that half role where hes picked to support the strikers but is coming centrally rather than being a genuine wideplayer.

Good post.

 

[Acrobat7]

Too good to be true, Im unzipped already. If the clause loan with buy obligation anything below 50M it's a no brainier

I think you should zip up again.

 

[Rozay]

Sorry but if even you, who have decided he isnt going to be a fantastic player before having a good opinion on why cant put your finger on it its because you want it to be true not because it is.

Bellingham wouldnt be where he is now if he hadnt gone to Madrid. If Xavi Simons went to Madrid he'd do better than Leipzig

This is what Xavi Simons is right now at 21 years old

Like Olmo next to him, he's that attacking midfielder who can dribble, play a teammate in for chances and score goals. He's not a deeper metronome passer, or a flying winger down the sides. He's the guy who receives a pass in a good position and then does something good with it, take a player on, pass or shot. He's similar to Bruno but better at dribbling and has played a lot more games in that half role where hes picked to support the strikers but is coming centrally rather than being a genuine wideplayer.

I have no need for an Ekeke statistical lesson, I appreciate that he’s very good. His impressive numbers, his ability to dribble and pass and move have nothing to do with my observation of him having a lesser mentality/drive than Bellingham.

Perhaps it’s because I respect his talent so much that I feel he is capable of being better than he is. I felt, and regularly said the same about Hazard. I wouldn’t need someone to explain to me that Hazard is a great dribbler, I’d prefer an explanation as to why he wasn’t closer to being the best player in the world or of his generation. De Bruyne was a better player than him for me, as he has more of what Bellingham has in him than Hazard did IMO, and I worry that Simons appears to have. So based on my assumption, he wouldn’t simply rise at Madrid, I suspect that he’d fold there and not step up due to not having the personality to rather than the ability. Ability wise, he has more than Bellingham, as do a fair few players who will probably never be as ‘good’ as him.

I accept that I could be wrong about Xavi and he could turn out to be really world class, but I think he’ll end up more like a Grealish than a De Bruyne personally.

 

[bosnian_red]

We shluld be targeting Doué instead. For half the price. I’m still optimistic we will get involved in that. There’s no way such a talent can be knocking around on INEOS’ doorstep for cheap and we don’t get involved.

Possibly we want to conclude our business with Bayern before competing with them, or more likely we want to get Sancho/Greenwood out first.

Agree fully. Whether we build to a 4231 or 433, every signing should be specially geared to each position. In the front 4 positions, the only position we currently need to really address is our wingers. Garnacho is great. But the others need to have that individual, direct wing play ability. Nico Williams, Doue from what I've seen, etc have that and is the sort of player we need both as starters and as depth. Up top we have Hojlund and Zirkzee, then for #10 currently Bruno is captain. Xavi Simons just doesn't fit and he'd be like signing Mata and shoving him wide, or last summer signing Mount. He's not a direct winger and he'd limit our ceiling as a team, even if he is a talented player.

 

[bosnian_red]

Sorry but if even you, who have decided he isnt going to be a fantastic player before having a good opinion on why cant put your finger on it its because you want it to be true not because it is.

Bellingham wouldnt be where he is now if he hadnt gone to Madrid. If Xavi Simons went to Madrid he'd do better than Leipzig

This is what Xavi Simons is right now at 21 years old

Like Olmo next to him, he's that attacking midfielder who can dribble, play a teammate in for chances and score goals. He's not a deeper metronome passer, or a flying winger down the sides. He's the guy who receives a pass in a good position and then does something good with it, take a player on, pass or shot. He's similar to Bruno but better at dribbling and has played a lot more games in that half role where hes picked to support the strikers but is coming centrally rather than being a genuine wideplayer.

This is basically confirming his point though that Xavi Simons is not the guy to target for us? We have Bruno, he won't play ahead of Bruno. He's not a winger, and in the Prem he'd struggle there. It's a different question if Bruno goes (again he wouldn't be my target for the 10), but at that point we'd actually need a 10. Unless we just play Mount there which is also meh.

 

[KirkDuyt]

Why did we sign all those directors when manager is again picking his targets? Another average player from Holland, you couldn't make this shit up(and hopefully this is made up by media).

Simons isn't average. At all.

 

[Ekeke]

This is basically confirming his point though that Xavi Simons is not the guy to target for us? We have Bruno, he won't play ahead of Bruno. He's not a winger, and in the Prem he'd struggle there. It's a different question if Bruno goes (again he wouldn't be my target for the 10), but at that point we'd actually need a 10. Unless we just play Mount there which is also meh.

We played with an inside winger before for ages with Mata. Thats where he would play linking up with Bruno.

Unlike with Mata, Simons can move. He does have some speed and pace and we could ask him to get chalk on his feet now and again, but in general despite him being mobile and happy to take players on he wants to do it towards the middle

 

[Lash]

Agree fully. Whether we build to a 4231 or 433, every signing should be specially geared to each position. In the front 4 positions, the only position we currently need to really address is our wingers. Garnacho is great. But the others need to have that individual, direct wing play ability. Nico Williams, Doue from what I've seen, etc have that and is the sort of player we need both as starters and as depth. Up top we have Hojlund and Zirkzee, then for #10 currently Bruno is captain. Xavi Simons just doesn't fit and he'd be like signing Mata and shoving him wide, or last summer signing Mount. He's not a direct winger and he'd limit our ceiling as a team, even if he is a talented player.

I'm surprised you'd want Doue if you don't like Simons. I think they have very similar profiles. Williams I get, as he's a proper winger.

 

[Baneofthegame]

Not really sure I see what’s the big deal with Simon’s when we have Bruno.

 

[mu4c_20le]

Simons isn't average. At all.

But he is from Holland.

Spoiler

 

[KirkDuyt]

But he is from Holland.

Spoiler

I think he's from Spain actually

Edit: ah no he isnt, born in Amsterdam. That's the worst part of our country

 

[andersj]

Perhaps it’s because I respect his talent so much that I feel he is capable of being better than he is. I felt, and regularly said the same about Hazard.

I’m not sure what you are trying to say with Hazard. Simons play with intensity. He works really hard, and his stats prove that. I feel like you are describing Sancho. Not Hazard.

I think EtH was spot on regarding Simons:

“I enjoyed Xavi Simons in that game (against England). The drive he has, the passion with which he conquers balls and recognises situations are top. His enormous drive as well. That is almost un-Dutch. I think you can see that he was trained abroad. He almost has a southern European doggedness in his game.”

 

[Ekeke]

Not really sure I see what’s the big deal with Simon’s when we have Bruno.

They have Olmo and played them both behind 2 strikers.

 

[Rozay]

I’m not sure what you are trying to say with Hazard. Simons play with intensity. He works really hard, and his stats prove that. I feel like you are describing Sancho. Not Hazard.

I think EtH was spot on regarding Simons:

“I enjoyed Xavi Simons in that game (against England). The drive he has, the passion with which he conquers balls and recognises situations are top. His enormous drive as well. That is almost un-Dutch. I think you can see that he was trained abroad. He almost has a southern European doggedness in his game.”

I’ve not mentioned intensity.

I mentioned mentality. I think he’ll be good, but I am less convinced that he will be as good as his talent may initially lead you to feel he could become, is all.

 

[Rojofiam]

Why did we sign all those directors when manager is again picking his targets? Another average player from Holland, you couldn't make this shit up(and hopefully this is made up by media).

Yeah, I think one of those is true. Which means nothing has changed structure wise at the club if the best choice from those players is Xavi Simons/if the manager is allowed to pick someone like him to improve us. Which doesn't go with what many here kept convincing us that we are going in the right direction.

Redcafe manages to amaze me every single day

 

[andersj]

I’ve not mentioned intensity.

I mentioned mentality. I think he’ll be good, but I am less convinced that he will be as good as his talent may initially lead you to feel he could become, is all.

To quote, Jon Heder, nobody know what that mean…

99 of 100 players dont. Feels like an empty claim. He is already very good and has improved a lot the last two years. At 21, that is likely to continue for someone with his attitude. He is not a Hazard/Sancho.

 

[FujiVice]

But he's in the starting 11 for Holland? I thought we only bought from the bench?

 

[GlazersHater]

The €100mil was a quote from Phillpe Auclair the french football correspondent yesterday.

Also PSG don't control where Simons plays, again explained by Auclair yesterday. When. He was signed from Barcelona by PSG he had a unique clause put into the contract so he decides where he plays. If he goes to Leipzig on loan again or stays at PSG, it's his call not the clubs. It's a mental clause, but this is PSG we are talking about.

I hadn't heard about that clause but if true Im amazed any team would agree to a clause like that one. Which basically means the club doesnt own the players card. If the player can choose complete where he wants to play then it leaves the club powerless, mental if true.

I think he's the one not being interested in being at PSG at the moment, afaik he asked for the PSV and Leipzig loans. He had a strange deal at PSV but he willingly went back to PSG. I think he (or his entourage) is hyper focused on building him up. I think they judge, somewhat rightly, that he'd be lost in the shuffle and that PSG was/is too much of a circus that could possibly stunt him at his level of experience.

Paris had a 17 yo man their central midfield and Barcola had time, I don't think it's an issue of the club being shy with young stars. But he's already interested in being an every game starter. PSG were too loaded upfront already.

Yes PSG already has Dembele, Barcola, Muani, Asencio, Ramos, Lee Kang In but I think a talent like Simons would find a place in the squad. Maybe is the player dont wanting to go there but then why would he agree to sign for them last summer? I mean PSG had the buy back clause in the contract but surely the player must accept it in order for it to become effective? I don't know its a really strange situation.

I think you should zip up again.

You cant tell me what to do you're not my real dad

 

[bosnian_red]

We played with an inside winger before for ages with Mata. Thats where he would play linking up with Bruno.

Unlike with Mata, Simons can move. He does have some speed and pace and we could ask him to get chalk on his feet now and again, but in general despite him being mobile and happy to take players on he wants to do it towards the middle

Exactly, I'm not calling him a bad player I'm just saying that's not the type of player we should be targeting at all.

Also - when did we play with an actual inside winger? Not players who cut in on their stronger foot but are still actual wingers (Nani, or what Nico Williams is for Spain right now), but guys like what Xavi Simons would do out wide? That's just not what the top top teams need from their wide players, and we've never had a wide playmaker guy who liked to roam inside actually be a true success and key player. That's just not what we should go for.

 

[Dominos]

Would feel like another signing for the sake of adding a player without a genuine plan as to where he fits into the team and whether we end up over-stocked in a position.

His best position is occupied but Bruno. Mount is our back up to Bruno. Simmons will end up being shunted into a sub-optimal position out wide when he does play and everyone will be saying we're not getting the best out of him, as if that's something we couldn't have seen with the slightest bit of foresight. Or I guess it makes the signing of Mount completely obsolete, which to be fair he should never have been signed for the money we paid for him, but it's a bit late for that now..

If we were going to be brave and start a complete rebuild with Bruno sold, then I guess Simmons would make sense. That's not happening though.

 

[bosnian_red]

I'm surprised you'd want Doue if you don't like Simons. I think they have very similar profiles. Williams I get, as he's a proper winger.

Not that I've ever seen doue besides like 1 YouTube video but isn't he someone who stays wide and his first thought is to run at fullbacks and dribble past them? Doesn't have to be strong foot on strong side, it's just that type of wide player is what we need.

Rashford is an off the ball runner who isn't good at that and isn't what I'm thinking, and definitely not #10's playing wide (but in the half spaces really) or the link up wide guys like Sancho. I'm thinking of guys like Doku and Nico Williams, and why I prefered him to Olise (not that we'll get either anyway).

 

[Ekeke]

Exactly, I'm not calling him a bad player I'm just saying that's not the type of player we should be targeting at all.

Also - when did we play with an actual inside winger? Not players who cut in on their stronger foot but are still actual wingers (Nani, or what Nico Williams is for Spain right now), but guys like what Xavi Simons would do out wide? That's just not what the top top teams need from their wide players, and we've never had a wide playmaker guy who liked to roam inside actually be a true success and key player. That's just not what we should go for.

Mata and the other players we played on the right in that entire era were players who played inside, the only time we didnt have that was a couple of games Rashford tried to play on the right wing for like 6 games

Even now half the time Antony is in the middle, not cutting in with the ball but picking up positions central positions around the box while AWB or Dalot are on their own with the ball down the right flank.

Sometimes Bruno comes out to join them and take the ball. Antony and Garnacho provide more width than Mata did overall.

Garnacho sticks on the right so we do have a constant width option there now. And Amad in his few chances on the right he's disciplined and stays outside.

 

[Mailo]

Looks like a mini Vincent Kompany with a native american cannibal twist

 

[Plastic Evra]

Yes PSG already has Dembele, Barcola, Muani, Asencio, Ramos, Lee Kang In but I think a talent like Simons would find a place in the squad. Maybe is the player dont wanting to go there but then why would he agree to sign for them last summer? I mean PSG had the buy back clause in the contract but surely the player must accept it in order for it to become effective? I don't know its a really strange situation.

He was a very highly rated prospect at Barca and PSG made up an offer he couldn't refuse, I suppose. But yeah PSG is like... A management agency for him. I suppose the upside is either getting a ready made star or selling him doe a lot of money.

He probably has the talent to fight for a place at PSG but two years ago it was Neymar/Mbappé/Messi and last year they had a ton of offensive recruits (probably because they knew Simons was bound elsewhere). He's only 21 after all... Would be weird if he doesn't play a season for Paris.

 

[Insanity]

What formation are we planning to go with if we are targeting this guy? He is an AM, right? Doesn't seem to have the pace to thrive on the wings in the PL. Will only make sense if Bruno is leaving.

 

[Ekeke]

What formation are we planning to go with if we are targeting this guy? He is an AM, right? Doesn't seem to have the pace to thrive on the wings in the PL. Will only make sense if Bruno is leaving.

He has more pace than Foden

 

[Insanity]

He has more pace than Foden

You think he'll play on the wings?

Also, Foden doesn't play in a counter attacking system and drifts in most of the time. Starting position on a graphic before a game is irrelevant.

 

[Ekeke]

You think he'll play on the wings?

Also, Foden doesn't play in a counter attacking system and drifts in most of the time. Starting position on a graphic before a game is irrelevant.

I think he'd play instead of a wing. Like Mata did and like both he and Olmo do at Leipzig

You're right Foden doesnt play in a counter attacking team but being quick is one of the reasons xavi simons goes past players. He's by no means rapid but fast for someone who likes to be inside

 

[amolbhatia50k]

We need a playmaking CM more than a 10 / singer hybrid.

 

[Insanity]

I think he'd play instead of a wing. Like Mata did and like both he and Olmo do at Leipzig

You're right Foden doesnt play in a counter attacking team but being quick is one of the reasons xavi simons goes past players. He's by no means rapid but fast for someone who likes to be inside

We'll need to pair him with a top quality WB who is fast and can go down the byline if we are planning to go that route. We also have 5 wide players (Sancho included) & 2 #10's plus Zirkzee, who is another option for the #10 spot. Don't know how we plan to fit all these guys in...but I guess the window is still open & we might see a few interesting outgoings.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

 

[bosnian_red]

Mata and the other players we played on the right in that entire era were players who played inside, the only time we didnt have that was a couple of games Rashford tried to play on the right wing for like 6 games

Even now half the time Antony is in the middle, not cutting in with the ball but picking up positions central positions around the box while AWB or Dalot are on their own with the ball down the right flank.

Sometimes Bruno comes out to join them and take the ball. Antony and Garnacho provide more width than Mata did overall.

Garnacho sticks on the right so we do have a constant width option there now. And Amad in his few chances on the right he's disciplined and stays outside.

Yeah we played them and none of them work for us, and they've always felt out of position. I'm saying we need to stop trying to use those players as it's not what we've historically been successful with, and in my opinion just generally not what the best teams would prefer.

I'd prefer not to go down a route where we shoe horn players in weird roles where it's not ideal, when we're essentially build from scratch.

 

[SAF is the GOAT]

 

[Lash]

Not that I've ever seen doue besides like 1 YouTube video but isn't he someone who stays wide and his first thought is to run at fullbacks and dribble past them? Doesn't have to be strong foot on strong side, it's just that type of wide player is what we need.

Rashford is an off the ball runner who isn't good at that and isn't what I'm thinking, and definitely not #10's playing wide (but in the half spaces really) or the link up wide guys like Sancho. I'm thinking of guys like Doku and Nico Williams, and why I prefered him to Olise (not that we'll get either anyway).

I would say a lot of Doues best work is in the half spaces, but much like Simons, he can keep width too if asked. I don't see Doue as a Doku, Williams type. I may be wrong, but I've not watched him extensively.

 

[Acrobat7]

You cant tell me what to do you're not my real dad

If you think you can get Simons for less than 50m then not knowing who your daddy is, is not your main problem.

 

[Andycoleno9]

I don't get this link. He is central attacking midfielder. We have Bruno and Mount there. Why we would be interested in him?

 

[Amar__]

Redcafe manages to amaze me every single day

Care to explain what's wrong with any of that?

Simons isn't average. At all.

Sorry, maybe I went overboard with "average in general", but he is pretty average in terms of what we need. He is not someone who will improve us much at all on that position, that much is clear.

 

[Rojofiam]

Care to explain what's wrong with any of that?

It's made-up nonsense, but you've convinced yourself that it's reality. Whining about issues that don't even exist. Classic Caf behavior.