Chelsea's planned acquisition of Xavi Simons might encounter difficulties, as the Blues strive to secure the £60m RB Leipzig star
Chelsea and RB Leipzig are in discussions over a potential transfer deal that could see Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons join the London club, while Christopher Nkunku returns to his former German side [1][2][4][5].
Leipzig values Simons at around £60m (€70m), reflecting the club's high regard for the young playmaker and the strong interest from top clubs [1][2][4][5]. This valuation underscores Leipzig's belief in Simons' potential and his importance to their squad.
Chelsea, on the other hand, are proposing Christopher Nkunku as part of the negotiations. Leipzig are interested in re-acquiring their former French star, and offering Nkunku could ease the financial load and potentially reduce the cash needed to sign Simons, who Chelsea value slightly less, around £50 million [1][3][4].
Nkunku's future at Chelsea is uncertain, as he has found himself further down the pecking order following the arrivals of Jamie Gittens and Estevao Willian. Additionally, Nkunku picked up a serious knee injury in pre-season that delayed his debut until December, and he has yet to establish himself as a first-team regular at Stamford Bridge amid a huge turnover of players [6].
However, Nkunku is not keen on returning to RB Leipzig, and swap deals are rare in football due to financial regulations and transfer payment calculations [7]. Nkunku's current wages at Chelsea are reported to be as high as £17million per year, a figure that Leipzig cannot match [8].
As the transfer deadline approaches, both clubs are trying to find an agreement. Ali Barat, who represents Chelsea stars, is working for Xavi Simons in his bid to join the Premier League [9]. Meanwhile, Carney Chukwuemeka, Renato Veiga, and Tyrique George have been linked with moves to RB Leipzig as part of the Xavi Simons negotiations [10].
In summary, Leipzig's £60m (€70m) valuation of Simons is firm, justified by his importance and demand from top clubs [1][2][4][5]. Chelsea want to include Christopher Nkunku in the deal to ease the financial load and because Leipzig want Nkunku back, making it a player-plus-cash offer rather than cash only [3]. Negotiations continue as both clubs try to find an agreement before the transfer deadline [1][2][5].
Football negotiations between Chelsea and RB Leipzig involve discussions over a potential transfer of Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons, with Chelsea offering Christopher Nkunku as part of the negotiations. However, Nkunku is not keen on returning to RB Leipzig, which might complicate the player-plus-cash offer from Chelsea, as Leipzig highly value Simons, with a £60m (€70m) price tag reflecting his importance to their squad and strong interest from top European leagues, including the Premier League.
