Slot ‘extremely keen’ to bring big-name playmaker to Liverpool as journalist reveals transfer timeline

Liverpool were strongly considering a summer move to sign PSG star Xavi Simons, according to a journalist, while Arne Slot has told the man he could have potentially replaced that “his numbers need to go up”.

The Merseysiders were the last side of 132 teams in all of Europe’s top seven leagues to make a signing this summer, with Liverpool leaving it until the final days of the window to push through the capture of goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardasvili from Valencia and winger Federico Chiesa in a bargain move from Juventus.

The manner of those late deals though was not through a want of trying, with the Reds coming close to the capture of Martin Zubimendi, only for the midfielder to reject the approach at the 11th hour despite agreeing on personal terms and with sporting director Richard Hughes having made clear they were willing to meet the £50.5m (€60m, $66.9m) release clause in his contract.

Now, though, it has emerged that another midfield addition was also on their radar this summer, with Bild journalist Yvonne Gabriel revealing interest in PSG star Simons.

Confirming that PSG plan to sell the Dutch playmaker in 2025, Gabriel told the FC Bayern Insider podcast: “PSG would like to sell him next year, but Xavi sees himself at an even bigger club.

“His price tag, which is already rumored to be over €80m (£67.4m, $89.4m), is utopian for Leipzig. With sums like that, however, the Premier League naturally comes into play, Xavi’s dream destination, as they say, that’s why he took on a new advisor a year ago, the Englishman Darren Dyne.

“It’s fair to say that the whole league has long had Xavi on its radar. Liverpool were also extremely keen on him this summer, there is a good connection to coach Arne Slot.”

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Simons could move in 2025 as Slot offers Szoboszlai advice

Gabriel has previously spoken out on PSG’s decision to allow Simons to remain at Leipzig for another year where he excelled during the 2023/24 campaign, scoring 10 goals and adding 15 assists across 43 appearances.

“At RB Leipzig they are naturally overjoyed that Xavi Simons is staying a year longer. The boss’ great hope is that his brutal mentality will be transferred to the entire team and at best lead them to titles,” Gabriel said earlier this month.

“Either way, it is already clear that the chances of Xavi staying at Leipzig beyond this season are very, very slim.”

As well as Liverpool, Gabriel claims Man Utd looked at Simons over the summer, while he claims Manchester City could move for him if Kevin De Bruyne departs.

“Xavi vetoed the offer [from Manchester United] and was determined to go to Leipzig where he saw better development opportunities

“Of course, Man City, where Kevin de Bruyne’s contract expires in 2025, must also be on his radar.”

Had Liverpool signed Simons he would have been in direct competition for a shirt with Dominik Szoboszlai, with the Hungarian having opened his account for the season in Tuesday night’s superb 3-1 win over AC Milan in the Champions League.

That was just the 23-year-old’s eighth notch in Liverpool colours and Slot has challenged the player to add more goals to his game.

“He’s been important for us, especially until now in our work when we don’t have the ball. He’s been outstanding in his pressing game,” Slot said.

“I think something that we have to work on with him is that he’s also even more involved in scoring goals and creating chances for us.

“Last season he scored three [in the league] if I remember correctly and for an attacking midfielder at Liverpool his numbers need to go up.

“But I’m really happy with the way he’s done until now and I’m 100 percent sure that if he plays in a team with so much quality around him, with the quality he has he will in the end score more goals for us as well.”

Liverpool ‘expect’ Mo Salah exit as

Liverpool, meanwhile, are growing increasingly fearful that Mo Salah will depart Anfield at the end of the season, TEAMtalk has learned.

His deal is due to expire in June 2025 and the player recently sent supporters into panic with a “as you know this is my last year” comment live on Sky Sports.

Despite that, the likes of Jamie Carragher, Daniel Sturridge and former keeper Adrian have all made it clear why they expect Salah to extend his stay.

TEAMtalk also ran an exclusive interview with former Man Utd star Owen Hargreaves on Wednesday that also made clear why he expects him to snub a move to Saudi Arabia.

“I can’t see him going to play in an inferior league,” TNT Sports pundit Hargreaves told TEAMtalk.

“He understands that if he leaves on a free transfer he has all the cards, in his favour, especially when he is playing the way he is. And he still has so much to offer.”

But sources close to Liverpool say that there is an ‘expectation’ that this will be Salah’s final season at Anfield. It’s understood that the Egyptian international is likely to make the long-awaited move to the Saudi Pro League next term.

What would Xavi Simons bring?

Were Liverpool to move for Simons, they would be signing one of the game’s best goalscoring midfielders and creative forces.

Having made his name in Barcelona’s academy, it was not until a move to PSG that a league debut came, though fitting him in among their galaxy of stars proved ultimately too tricky for a number of their coaches.

Indeed, it was not until a loan switch to PSV where Simons really fulfiled his early career expectations, adding an impressive 36 goal contributions over the campaign under the management of now Manchester United assistant boss, Ruud van Nistelrooy.

He enjoyed another impressive campaign while in Germany last season, bringing him to the attention of the Premier League’s elite.

That form led to regular game time with his country, where he has since won 22 caps, scoring three goals – all of which have come in 2024 – including a rifle of a strike that gave the Netherlands the lead in the Euro 2024 semi-final against England.

While the Three Lions fought back to win, Simons could well become a more familar face in the Premier League come next season if he achieves the big transfer that PSG are willing to negotiate.