RB Leipzig allowed Netherlands playmaker Xavi Simons to travel to London as Tottenham Hotspur pursue the 22-year-old before the September 1 transfer deadline. The German club seeks to resolve the midfielder\'s future amid Premier League interest.
Tottenham targets Simons to strengthen Thomas Frank\'s attacking options after missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze. The club also lost James Maddison to an ACL injury that will sideline him for most of the season.
Chelsea have also expressed interest in Simons this summer. The Blues reached an agreement with AC Milan for Christopher Nkunku\'s transfer on Thursday, potentially creating space for additional attacking reinforcements.
Leipzig will excuse Simons from first-team duties for the remainder of the week if Premier League discussions become formal. This includes Saturday\'s match against Heidenheim at RB Arena following their 6-0 defeat to Bayern Munich.
The Bundesliga club remains adamant that Simons will not leave unless their asking price is met. If negotiations fail, they plan to quickly reintegrate him into the squad for weekend preparations.
Simons joined Leipzig permanently from Paris Saint-Germain for approximately $67 million in January despite expressing desire to leave in May. He recorded 11 goals and 8 assists in 33 appearances last season while missing 15 games due to ankle surgery.
The Athletic reported that clubs struggle to identify Simons\' optimal role within their systems. Leipzig utilized him as a specialized number 10 that functions as both wide-forward and supporting striker.
His versatility has created uncertainty among potential buyers about his best position. This tactical ambiguity has delayed what was expected to be a straightforward summer transfer for one of Europe\'s most promising playmakers.
Simons has earned 28 caps for the Netherlands national team since debuting at age 19 under Louis van Gaal.