Chelsea were in hot pursuit all summer, but he ended up at Spurs and now his agent has disclosed why a deal could not be reached.
Xavi Simons was Chelsea’s main target in the final weeks of the transfer window.
As the days and weeks passed, it was assumed that Chelsea were focusing on their outgoings, but with a move for the RB Leipzig attacker on the back burner.
It then emerged that Spurs agreed terms with Xavi, and the Blues didn’t get back in the race.
It was a disappointing outcome, missing out on one of Europe’s best young talents. Now, Xavi’s agent has revealed why he chose Spurs.
Agent Ali Barat reveals why Chelsea’s move for Xavi Simons didn’t progress
It’s not like Chelsea are short on attacking options, but when the initial links to Xavi emerged, it got fans excited. This is an extremely technical, individualistic player who could have added another dimension to Enzo Maresca’s attack.
But there was a roadblock, and Xavi’s agent Ali Barat discussed this in an interview for RMC sport.
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He revealed: “Tottenham and Chelsea are both fantastic clubs with solid projects, and there was real interest from both sides.
“But Chelsea was always clear with us, they had certain constraints that made it difficult to move forward with discussions.”
The constraints he refers to likely centre around Chelsea’s wage structure, which puts less emphasis on base salary and more on performance-based incentives.
The figure floated after his move to Spurs was £195,000 per week. That does not comply with BlueCo’s policy for young players, as evidenced by Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, two other young attackers who signed deals worth £110,000 per week.
Even star man Cole Palmer earns a wage of £130,000. Simons clearly felt he deserved more and this was a non-negotiable.
The decision not to compromise for Simons is understandable; however, seeing him play for a London rival will have some Chelsea fans pulling their hair out nonetheless.
Ali Barat shares more on the Nicolas Jackson loan
As well as discussing Simons, Barat brings up Nicolas Jackson, whom he also represents.
He shared more details on the loan deal that sent Jackson to Bayern, saying: “They have a mandatory purchase option if he plays 40 games, but they also have a €65 million option (if not).”
The obligation is worth just shy of £70 million, dependent on the Senegalese striker making 40 appearances. But if he doesn’t reach that quota, the German champions still have a £57 million option.
Barat, unbiased of course, thinks Bayern would be getting a good deal at the option price: “So I think if Nico Jackson performs this season, given the current market price for strikers, at €65 million in my opinion, they should buy him. Again, it all depends on how Jackson fits in and performs.”
Chelsea will want him to do well, especially now that they have faced Bayern. It would save them the job of finding a new suitor next summer.