A year ago
With an unexpected revelation, Lionel Messi blasted a warning shot over Manchester United's transfer target.
Xavi Simons of PSV Eindhoven has been linked with a number of teams this summer, including Manchester United, but his old colleague Lionel Messi seems unimpressed.
Lionel Messi has cautioned Barcelona not to re-sign former teammate Xavi Simons, who is wanted by Manchester United and PSV Eindhoven.
The Dutch international is expected to be offered to Arsenal this summer, according to reports. Paris Saint-Germain have the option to re-sign Simons for a €6 million clause that becomes active in July, although it is uncertain whether the player wishes to return to the French city.
Simons passed declined the option of extending his contract at PSG, whom he had previously joined from Barcelona, a year ago in order to transfer to Eindhoven, where he has showed signs of reaching his enormous early promise.
According to L'Equipe, a return to PSG is far from a formality for a player who was the joint best scorer in the Eredivisie last season with 19 league goals. United, Arsenal, and Tottenham are among the English teams keeping an eye on the player's condition.
There is no shortage of fans for Simons, with Barcelona among those considering a move for the youngster. However, due to the Catalan club's perilous financial state, a return is doubtful.
Messi and Simons were teammates at Paris Saint-Germain for the 2021/22 season until the Dutchman departed for PSV Eindhoven last summer. The 20-year-old shined for the Dutch team in the 2022/23 season, scoring 19 goals and providing nine assists.
The 20-year-old has five caps for the Netherlands and can play as a midfielder or a wide attacker. He stood out for PSV against Arsenal in the Europa League group stage last season, with the Dutch side winning 2-0 in Eindhoven in October.
According to the Catalan newspaper El Nacional, Messi met with Xavi on a trip to Barcelona a year ago to address a variety of subjects. One of the issues discussed was Xavi Simons, who graduated through the Catalan club's La Masia development system.
That was when he was a teenager and Messi's teammate at the Parc des Princes, where he transferred from Barcelona in 2021. He was mostly a bit-part player in Paris, although he did make an impression for the Netherlands at Under-21 level.
The son of former Dutch player Regillio Simons departed PSG that summer when his contract ended and a return to the Camp Nou was offered. He eventually joined PSV in the Eredivisie seeking first-team opportunity.
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