Chelsea's pursuit of RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons has hit a bloody snag, mate.
Blues' hopes dashed by stubborn Germans
The bloody Blues have been chatting with the German side about signing the 22-year-old footy star. They've even agreed on personal terms for the lad to move to west London. But the two clubs can't bloody agree on a fee, can they?
Leipzig wants nearly £60million for the Netherlands international, while Chelsea was hoping to spend less than £52million on Simons. They even discussed throwing in Christopher Nkunku as part of a player-plus-cash deal, sending him back to Leipzig.
Leipzig's sporting director drops a bombshell
Now, Chelsea's been dealt a right blow by Leipzig's sporting director, Marcel Schafer. He's come out with a blunt statement about Simons' future at the club, saying they make decisions based on sporting and economic factors. In the past, they've let players go when it's good for everyone, but right now, that's not the case. So, if nothing changes, Simons is staying put at RB Leipzig.
Simons still giving his all on the pitch
Despite all the transfer talk, Simons played the full 90 minutes for Leipzig in their DFB Pokal first-round tie on Saturday, scoring a goal and providing an assist in a 4-2 win over fourth-tier Sandhausen. The lad's still giving his all on the pitch, even with his future up in the air.
City could swoop in and snatch Simons
To make matters worse for Chelsea, there are now fears that Manchester City could come in and hijack their pursuit of the former Paris Saint-Germain starlet. Apparently, his ability to play as both an attacking midfielder and on the wing is tempting for City.
Chelsea's summer spending spree
Meanwhile, Chelsea's new boss Enzo Maresca has already splashed over £240million on eight new signings this summer. Four of those new lads made their Premier League debuts on Sunday afternoon in a frustrating goalless draw against Crystal Palace. The Blues might have to keep digging deep into their pockets if they want to secure Simons' signature.
