Xavi Simons key to Luis Enrique’s post-Mbappé plans

According to Foot Mercato, Luis Enrique plans to rely heavily on Xavi Simons (20) from next season after being impressed by his performances on loan at RB Leipzig. 

Trained originally in Barcelona, the Dutchman swapped Catalonia for the French capital when he joined Paris Saint-Germain at sixteen. The forward struggled to find meaningful game time with Les Parisiens and was sold to PSV with a buyback clause. 

Simons excelled in the Eredivisie and was repurchased by PSG who shipped him out to Leipzig last summer to continue his development. His performances with the Bundesliga side have reportedly convinced Luis Enrique that the forward is worth developing his post-Mbappé attack around. 

Simons an interesting option for Paris Saint-Germain

Speaking on Twitch during the international break, the manager alluded to Simons when he stated “Another player who belongs to the club. He’s on loan and he’s excellent. He has the perfect qualities for what we want. He could obviously be a very interesting option for us but it depends on the clubs.” 

Leipzig had been keen to extend his loan by another season, while Simons was thought to be keenly waiting for the summer window to see how PSG strengthened, and what his pathway into the team would look like before deciding his next step. 

However, with Kylian Mbappé (25) out of the picture at the end of the season, and a new project building with the club, Simons’s versatility in the forward line could be a perfect option for how Luis Enrique wants his attack to develop. 

GFFN | Nick Hartland