Manchester United are reportedly targeting RB Leipzig attacker Xavi Simons but must hit ‘jackpot’ of Champions League qualification to sign him.
The Red Devils are enduring a miserable 2024/25 campaign. They are currently 14th with just ten wins from 32 matches.
They sacked former manager Erik ten Hag in October and appointed Ruben Amorim as his successor, but results and performances have not improved.
Amorim has already lost ten Premier League matches despite debuting on November 24. For context, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has lost eight since the start of last season.
The one saving grace for Man United is the Europa League. They are in the quarter-final of that competition and know winning the whole thing would see them qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Doing so would be a significant financial bonus and would help attract world-class players to Old Trafford. Without winning the Europa League, the Red Devils’ summer will be extremely difficult.
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Being able to improve his squad in the summer transfer window would ideally help speed up Amorim’s rebuild of the first team and there are several players being linked with a move to the club.
One of those is Leipzig and Netherlands youngster Xavi Simons, according to the Daily Mail.
It is emphasised that Amorim’s transfer plans are expected ‘to hinge on hitting the Champions League jackpot’, which can only come via winning the Europa League.
Their next fixture in the competition is on Thursday in their quarter-final second leg at home to Lyon after drawing the first leg 2-2 in France. Winning the whole thing ‘would generate up to £100m in extra income’, the report states.
The report from Chris Wheeler says the Red Devils ‘have maintained contact’ with Simons, ‘who is one of several options they are juggling as they approach the summer window’.
What makes him a ‘desired’ signing is said to be his ‘versatility and age’, with the 21-year-old not expected to ‘come cheap’.
There is also interest from Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Whether United qualify for the Champions League or not, there is a strong chance Amorim will look to raise funds through the sales of homegrown talents Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho – whose futures are ‘still up in the air’.
They are also hoping to sell Marcus Rashford, who is currently on loan at Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, Real Betis are more likely to try to extend Antony’s loan rather than signing him permanently and Jadon Sancho could return to the club if Chelsea decide to pay a £5m penalty on his loan-to-buy agreement.
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