RB Leipzig sign Paris Saint-German's Xavi Simons on loan
RB Leipzig have completed the signing of Netherlands international Xavi Simons on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
Simons was promoted to the PSG first team in January 2022, only to be sold to PSV Eindhoven last summer.
The 20-year-old attacker went on to register 19 goals and nine assists in 49 competitive games in 2022/23, helping PSV win the Dutch Cup and prompting PSG to activate a buy-back clause in his contract before loaning him out to Leipzig for the the 2023/24 campaign.
"The Bundesliga is one of the best leagues in Europe and RB Leipzig are one of the best teams in the Bundesliga," Simons said, in quotes appearing on Die Roten Bullen's official website. "Coming to Leipzig is the right step for me because RBL constantly show how to develop young players and be successful with them," the new arrival added.
Simons made his professional debut in 2021, going on to play 11 times in all competitions for parent club PSG prior to his summer 2022 move to Eindhoven.
The Amsterdam-born talent - who was part of the Barcelona academy between 2010 and 2019 - made his senior international debut at the 2022 World Cup, featuring in the last-16 win over the USA, and has since won a further three caps.
“We have been able to sign an exceptional young talent in Xavi Simons," Leipzig's board member for sport, Max Eberl, enthused. "He is one of the top attacking midfielders in his age group in Europe and has everything needed to take the Bundesliga by storm with his individual quality.
"Xavi is the latest young talent to choose RB Leipzig, which underlines the reputation that RBL enjoy based on the club’s work and its ambitions," Eberl continued. "[He] can play in any attacking position behind the strikers, as a number 10, false nine or on the wings. He has an excellent understanding of tactics and technical ability, combined with intelligence, and presents a real threat on goal. He is agile, loves to have the ball and has a good acceleration. He runs a lot and is always looking to make quick passes."
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Simons is the latest in a string of new faces at Leipzig, as they begin life after Christopher Nkunku, Dominik Szoboszlai and Konrad Laimer. The reigning two-time DFB Cup winners - third in last season's Bundesliga - have also signed Lois Openda, Nicolas Seiwald and Benjamin Sesko.
Marco Rose's team begin their domestic season on 12 August against defending Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the Supercup. Die Roten Bullen then go to Bayer Leverkusen on Bundesliga Matchday 1 (19 August).
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