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Manchester United are competing with Red Bull Leipzig over a deal to take Xavi Simons on loan this summer.
The Red Devils are keen to add to their midfield talent and are reportedly close to agreeing a deal for Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte.
While Ugarte is a defensive midfielder, football 365 report that United have taken the opportunity to also discuss the possibility of a deal for the attacking midfielder Simons.
The Netherlands star spent last season on loan at Leipzig in the Bundesliga and they are also keen to keep the player on an initial loan.
“A loan move this term before a permanent sale next summer may be more appealing to the Ligue 1 champions” and “it’s thought United would be open to such a deal, but so too are Leipzig according to manager Marco Rose, who is ‘optimistic’ they can persuade him to return to the club after his summer break.”
Rose stated “We hope that the boy [Simons] comes back”.
While Football365 are suggesting United favour a loan deal, Spanish outlet Sport offer a completely different account of what is happening. They claim that United are preparing a mammoth cash offer to blow Bayern Munich and Red Bull out of the water.
The paper claims that United are emboldened by their successful pursuit of Leny Yoro and “now history can repeat itself in the case of Xavi Simons.”
They report that new assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was his manager at PSV Eindhoven, is “working to seduce him with the United project and Ratcliffe has given the go-ahead to the move.”
“PSG are patiently awaiting the arrival of the offer from Old Trafford. Simons’ agent, Darren Dein, is in a position to transmit a financial proposal that would reach €100 million. This is a figure that far exceeds those of Bayern Munich and Leipzig.”
This seem incredibly fanciful bearing in mind the financial restrictions United and most clubs are living under.
With United not prepared to pay €100 million for Joao Neves and walking away from a £70 million Jarrad Branthwaite deal, it seems highly unlikely they would drop that sort of money for Simons, who plays in positions in which United are very well stocked, even if they could this summer.
The loan interest seems much more credible, although Erik ten Hag has spoken out publicly on his admiration of the player, praising his role in the Netherlands’ semi-final defeat to England. It has been reported that United were also interested in the youngster last summer.
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