Tottenham Hotspur are finalising a deal worth €60m (£51.8m) to secure the services of Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig. The Dutch forward has already undergone medical checks in England, with sources suggesting the formal signing is imminent for Thomas Frank’s team.
Both clubs have settled on the main structure of the agreement, while the remaining aspects are expected to be completed within the next day.
Earlier in the summer, Chelsea had discussions with Leipzig regarding Simons, but instead they are on the verge of sealing a £40m purchase of Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho. Spurs, meanwhile, have already added Joao Palhinha and Mohammed Kudus to their squad in this window.
The north London side previously missed out on Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest, while Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze opted to join Arsenal.
Career path and playing style
Simons began his football journey in Barcelona’s academy before transferring to Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. His breakthrough came during a temporary spell at PSV in 2022-23, where consistent performances raised his profile.
In two campaigns with Leipzig, he recorded 22 goals and 24 assists across 78 appearances in all tournaments. His departure follows that of Benjamin Sesko, who joined Manchester United this summer in a deal worth £73.7m.
The midfielder, named after Barcelona icon Xavi Hernández, has long been regarded as one of Europe’s most promising players. Comfortable on either flank or in a central attacking role, he is also fluent in six languages.
Background and international record
Simons gained early recognition at Barcelona, joining at the age of seven and becoming a standout figure in the renowned youth system. By 14, he had amassed over a million Instagram followers, signed with Nike, and appeared in an advertisement alongside Neymar and Ronaldinho.
At 16, unable to agree on new terms with Barcelona, he moved to PSG, where he followed Neymar, who became a mentor. He made his senior debut at 17 in February 2021, but his involvement remained limited to 11 matches before he pursued more consistent playing time elsewhere.
Internationally, Simons has featured 28 times for the Netherlands. He became the youngest Dutch player to appear in a World Cup knockout match when he came off the bench against the United States in Qatar in 2022.
