Arne Slot’s ‘link’ mentioned as Liverpool competes with Man City for €80m star who ‘rejected’ Man Utd move

Arne Slot might bring a Dutch star to Liverpool, Xavi Simons’ future appears to be headed for the Premier League, as reports reveal connections to Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United.

Simons, who is on a second loan season at RB Leipzig from Paris Saint-Germain, remains a topic of speculation regarding his long-term future, especially since a permanent move to the Bundesliga side seems unlikely.

The attacking midfielder has been valued at €80m (£67.6m/$88.7m) and reportedly has little desire to return to PSG, preferring a move to the Premier League.

Recent updates have clarified which English clubs are interested in Simons. According to the FC Bayern Insider podcast, hosted by Christian Falk, both Liverpool and Manchester City have shown interest in the Dutch player.

Bild’s Leipzig reporter Yvonne Gabriel shared: “RB Leipzig is thrilled that Xavi Simons is staying for another year. The coach hopes his strong mentality will inspire the team and ideally lead them to titles.

“However, it’s already evident that the chances of Xavi remaining at Leipzig beyond this season are very slim.

“PSG, who still have him under contract until 2027, would like to sell him next year, but Xavi is aiming for a bigger club.

“His price tag, rumored to be over €80m, is unrealistic for Leipzig. With such figures, the financially robust Premier League becomes a potential destination: Xavi’s dream spot, as it is said.

“That’s why he engaged new advisor Darren Dein a year ago.

“Darren has top connections in England, and it’s fair to say that Xavi has long been on the league’s radar.

“Liverpool was very interested this summer, with a strong link to coach Arne Slot.

“But there’s also a connection between Xavi and [Erik] ten Hag, who are both Dutch. Ten Hag had previously tried to acquire Xavi in 2023, offering €60m at the time.

“However, Xavi declined the offer, preferring Leipzig for its better development opportunities.

“Man City, with Kevin de Bruyne’s contract expiring in 2025, must also be a consideration for him.”

Could Liverpool or Man City secure Simons?

Neither Liverpool nor Man City made significant new signings this summer. Liverpool acquired Federico Chiesa and secured a future deal for Giorgi Mamardashvili, while City brought in Savinho from Troyes and re-signed Ilkay Gundogan from Barcelona.

However, if either club has major plans for next year, a fierce competition for Simons could ensue.

By the end of his second Leipzig season, Simons will be 22. If his performance mirrors his first season, where he scored 10 goals and provided 15 assists in 43 games, he will be a sought-after player.

As Gabriel noted, City could face the risk of losing key playmaker De Bruyne on a free transfer at the season’s end.

Liverpool might also be poised to give Slot more influence over the squad by then.

At present, it’s uncertain where Simons will end up, making it a matter of speculation.

What are Liverpool and Man City planning?

Liverpool already have Mamardashvili lined up for 2025, but there are also reports linking them and City with Bayern’s Jamal Musiala. Given Musiala’s similarity in position to Simons, it’s likely one or the other for either club, and Bayern is working to extend Musiala’s contract beyond 2025.

For Liverpool, securing contracts is a priority as Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Mohamed Salah are set to be out of contract at the end of the season.

While Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas Issa has denied any insider knowledge about his situation, former Liverpool teammate Adrian is confident Salah wants to stay.

Man City, meanwhile, are reportedly prepared to spend up to £100m as early as January, but De Bruyne’s future might take precedence, as he could negotiate a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs starting in the New Year.

Xavi Simons – a career overview

Xavi Simons in action for RB Leipzig

As Simons reaches the top as he aims, he will reflect on a journey that has had its share of challenges.

Simons began at Barcelona’s renowned La Masia academy, spending nine years there before moving to PSG at 16 due to a contract dispute.

He made two appearances for PSG’s first team in the 2020-21 season and nine the following year, but without scoring, he returned to the Netherlands with PSV.

Simons had a breakout season, netting 22 goals in 48 games, prompting PSG to activate their buyback clause.

However, he hasn’t had the chance to prove himself at PSG, spending last season and the current one at Leipzig.

Due to PSG’s lack of trust in him, Simons prefers a club where he is central to the project and can fully pursue his ambitions.

He hopes for another strong season with Leipzig to facilitate a permanent move from PSG next summer, potentially leading him to a Premier League club like Liverpool or one of the Manchester sides, as once considered by Chelsea and now monitored by top English clubs.