A prospect labeled as a competitor for Lee Kang-in is going on loan.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will reacquire 2003-born prospect Xavi Simmons and send him out on loan to RB Leipzig of the German Bundesliga, according to a report from European transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano. The loan deal will be finalized as soon as he completes a medical.
Simmons, a Dutch national, is an attacking midfielder who came up through the Barcelona youth ranks. He moved to PSG in 2019 but failed to establish himself in the team before joining Dutch Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2022. After joining PSV, Simmons’ potential exploded. In 34 Eredivisie appearances in the 2022-2023 season, he scored 19 goals and provided nine assists. Despite not being a striker, his goalscoring prowess was enough to earn him the top scorer award. Having made the leap to the league’s highest level, Simmons was again on the radar of PSG. And with a buyout clause of just €6 million, he could make a relatively cheap return.
According to transfer agency Transfermarkt, Simmons has a market value of €40 million ($568 million). PSG is getting Simmons back for a fraction of his market value.
Despite the signing, PSG doesn’t see Simmons as an immediate force. They want to give him a season to develop in the Bundesliga and then come in later. In fact, PSG reportedly did not include an outright transfer option to Leipzig in the deal. Simmons must join PSG for the 2024-2025 season. He’s still young enough to be a long-term signing.
The news of Simmons’ loan is a positive for Lee Kang-in. Simmons’ position is an attacking midfielder, which overlaps with Lee’s. He’s two years younger than Lee, but he’s a versatile player who combines goal-scoring ability, speed, strength, and a decent passing game. In many ways, he’s a tough competitor for Lee. However, with Simmons’ departure, Lee will have less competition. With PSG sending Simmons out on loan, there’s a good chance that the 2023-2024 season will give him plenty of opportunities. With the future of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe unclear, Lee is expected to provide a solid engine for Luis Enrique’s side.
However, we’ll have to wait until the end of the transfer window to find out how the competition for the starting role will play out. PSG are reportedly continuing their pursuit of a big attacking midfielder. They are particularly interested in Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva. Silva is one of the best attacking midfielders in the world, and he’s certainly better than Lee, so it’s not going to be easy to compete with him. Still, Silva’s move to PSG isn’t exactly a done deal. While there are indications that he’s staying at Man City, there are also offers from Saudi Arabia for an astronomical salary. PSG is not yet a priority. As it stands, there are no major worries for the player’s future 스포츠토토.
In the meantime, Lee is settling in at PSG and will begin preparations for the new season this month with a preseason tour of Japan. PSG will face Al Nasr in Osaka on March 25 and Cerezo Osaka on March 28. On the first of next month, they will host Inter Milan. Lee Kang-in’s PSG debut will also be in Japan.