Chelsea Nears €70M Xavi Simons Transfer from RB Leipzig

Chelsea is close to securing the signing of Dutch midfielder Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, with negotiations advancing and a verbal agreement reportedly near completion. Simons recently removed RB Leipzig from his Instagram bio, fueling speculation about his imminent move to Chelsea, where he is expected to play a key role in the midfield under manager Enzo Maresca. Leipzig is firm on their €70 million valuation for Simons, having spent a significant amount on him earlier this year, and has rejected player trade offers from Chelsea, including Christopher Nkunku and Carney Chukwuemeka. Chelsea aims to finalize the deal by first offloading several players such as Kepa Arrizabalaga, Noni Madueke, Joao Felix, and possibly others like Nkunku and Axel Disasi to generate funds. The Blues have also been linked with other transfers, including Ajax's Jorrel Hato and Lyon winger Malick Fofana, while continuing to prepare for the upcoming Premier League season. The club is actively managing outgoings and incomings to strengthen the squad ahead of the campaign's start.