Posted November 15, 2021 at 8:30 p.m. by Hadrien Grenier updated November 15, 2021 at 8:37 p.m.
While Xavi Simons' contract with Paris Saint-Germain will expire at the end of the season, the current trend is clearly not in the direction of an extension for the young Dutch midfielder.
For several years now, Paris Saint-Germain has been the victim of a massive exodus of its young nuggets from its training center to the extent that it is not able to offer them playing time in its team – or that it isn't doing enough to help them get it. Many players have left their Parisian training club in recent years, and the phenomenon could recur at the end of the season with a much stronger media reach with Xavi Simons. At only 18 years old, the Dutch midfielder actually has a very big reputation, both for his performances with the youngsters of PSG and for his image on the marketing plan from an early age.
At the end of the contract on June 30, the Parisian club would naturally like to extend its player who arrived in 2019 from FC Barcelona. However, despite negotiations that began several months ago, no common ground has been found. And for good reason, Xavi Simons would simply be frustrated with his status at PSG, something that would make him reluctant to initial a new commitment. It must be said that the Amsterdam native is floating in the youth category, which is why he believes he deserves a chance and a few minutes in the first team. According to information from Fabrizio Romano, his extension could be conditioned by these minutes in the squad trained by Mauricio Pochettino. His agent Mino Raiola would therefore like to obtain the guarantee that Xavi Simons will be able to benefit from a place in the pro group of PSG before installing him there over time.
A blocked horizon at PSG for Xavi Simons?
Problem, the current situation should clearly not reassure him. Appearing several times with the PSG first team during the summer preparation, Xavi Simons had then performed interesting. However, since then, the right-hander capable of playing as well in the middle as in a position of false number 9 has not once been summoned to a group by Mauricio Pochettino. Worse yet, he and Edouard Michut don't even train with the pro squad anymore, but with the U19 team. In short, as much to say that all this does not plead in favor of PSG and its ambition to extend Xavi Simons. And the least that can be said is that Mauricio Pochettino was clearly not reassuring about a change in this trend, a change expected and hoped for by many observers.
“Is there an explanation? Yes, there is an explanation: we have 33 pro players in the workforce. Young players need to show off, it's not ideal to train with the pro squad during the week and on weekends to stay home and play playstation. They need competition, that's why I leave it at the disposal of the other teams. My staff and I have always liked to use young people. But a youngster doesn't just need space, he has to feel that he can play, that he has this option. Otherwise the initial motivation can quickly turn into frustration. And instead of a progression, we are witnessing a regression. Playing with young people makes him feel important, and there he can continue to improve. Our past work speaks for itself, it's not just words. We would like to be able to count on these young people in the future. But it's a problem of the structure, which makes it difficult for these young people to find a place, ”explained the Argentine coach at a press conference just before the international break.
FC Barcelona would now be ready to bring it back
Suffice to say that Mino Raiola should not be reassured after such a position. According to Mauricio Pochettino's words, the horizon is blocked at PSG for Xavi Simons. And at this rate, that is to say that the scenario of a free start will become clearer than ever. In fact, several teams are reportedly already in the running to welcome the one who has scored two goals and provided four assists in four Youth League games. One of them is said to be his former club, FC Barcelona. According to Cadena SER, the Catalan club and their chairman Joan Laporta would be won over by the prospect of bringing Xavi Simons back next summer as part of a free transfer. The idea has even been mentioned succinctly during a meeting several months ago between the Catalan club boss and Mino Raiola. In addition, the Spanish outlet even explains that a return to Barça would be the most attractive option Xavi Simons amid all the solicitations he has been subjected to so far. And in this context, it would seem that the PSG page is slowly but surely turning for the U19 international from the Netherlands, to the chagrin of many observers.