The Xavi Simons experience is finally over at Paris Saint-Germain. The 21-year-old wunderkind arrived in the French capital in 2019 from the FC Barcelona academy and now joins RB Leipzig on a permanent transfer after a year and a half on loan at the German club. So, did PSG make the right decision?
There’s no question that Simons is an exceptional talent. He led the Eredivisie while on loan at PSV Eindhoven during the 2022-23 season, and he has found success in the Bundesliga with Leipzig as well. Following his loan last season, many supporters hoped that Simons would return to PSG, step into Luis Enrique’s starting lineup for the 2024-25 season, and fill the scoring gap left by the outgoing Kylian Mbappé. However, that didn’t happen, as reports indicated Simons didn’t want to stay here at PSG and preferred another season out on loan.
Simons suffered an ankle injury last October that kept him out of action at Leipzig until January 2025. He has since returned to the starting lineup and has been playing well. With PSG needing to continue rebuilding its squad, it quickly ran into the issue of having too many players out on loan. This is likely what started the conversation with Leipzig to turn Simons’ loan deal into a permanent one. Shortly after the news broke about the transfer, it was reported that the reason Simons didn’t return to PSG last summer was because he was not guaranteed playing time under Luis Enrique.
We will likely never know if this is true or not, but it does make plausible sense. Simons is an incredible talent. There’s no doubt about that. But, the fact that he’s gone out on loan so many times to teams where he knows he will be a starter does lead you to believe he values playing time immensely. Luis Enrique was never going to agree to that as he values competition within his squad and will only play those who have earned their minutes.
In the end, the move satisfies both sides. Simons is likely the first name on the team sheet for Leipzig, and for PSG, they were able to capitalize on one of their best players entering the prime of their career. If Simons leaves Leipzig before the end of his contract in June of 2027, which is likely, PSG will recoup a percentage of the transfer fee. It makes financial sense for PSG and Simons is finally free of any obligation to PSG. Where he goes after Leipzig, though, is anyone’s guess.
