Why Chelsea must move quickly to sign RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons and ease some of the burden on Cole Palmer

The Sun

2 days ago

RB LEIPZIG star Xavi Simons is the man to ease the creative burden on Cole Palmer at Chelsea.
Together, the Netherlands and England starlets would give the Blues a new level of attacking threat.
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Palmer (inset), 23, is Chelsea's talisman, the man they ask to make things happen.
In the Club World Cup final a fortnight ago, he scored twice and made the third in the 3-0 win over Champions League-holders Paris Saint-Germain.
But when the Three Lions star is not in form, as was the case for much of the second half of last season, Chelsea struggle to score and create.
Enzo Maresca's side need another playmaker capable of unlocking defences, of making chances for others and taking them himself.
The Stamford Bridge outfit have also been linked with Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze and Alejandro Garnacho at Manchester United.
But statistics suggest it is £60million-rated Simons, 22, who has the skillset and quality to match Palmer's output.
And just imagine the frightening prospect of Maresca unleashing them both on Premier League defences.
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It is too simplistic to say Simons is a right-footed version of Palmer, who likes to cut in from the left as the England international does from the other side.
But it is a good starting point. They do a lot of the same things very well and, in most cases, better than Rogers, Eze and Garnacho.
Simons had an impressive 2024-25 campaign, despite being part of a Leipzig side that lost seven of their eight Champions League games and finished outside the European places in Bundesliga.
The Dutch international's ten goals and seven assists in 25 Bundesliga appearances were below Palmer's figures of 15 and eight in 37 Prem games.
But when you look at their numbers calculated per 90 minutes, Simons matched or bettered Palmer's output.
Away from the more obvious stats like goals and assists, there are others which show how Simons might not only provide Palmer-like qualities but also offer something new.
Amazingly, he had nearly 15 more touches per 90 minutes than Palmer and was also fouled more often.
This is a player who wants to get on the ball and is prepared to take responsibility — as well as the hits that come with it.
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Simons also averaged more progressive carries and won possession in the final third more often.
Over the course of their careers in the big five European leagues, Palmer (two full seasons in the Prem) comes out ahead of Simons (two full seasons in the Bundesliga and a smattering of Ligue 1 experience at PSG) in a number of areas.
But you can argue that Simons' breakout year for PSV Eindhoven in 2022-23 — Holland's Eredivisie is not one of the Big Five — should also be taken into account.
He scored 19 times and provided eight assists in 34 league appearances, bouncing back from his difficult spell at PSG.
There are always worries about whether players who are outstanding in other big leagues can reproduce that form in England.
Rogers, Eze and Garnacho, to one extent or other, have proved themselves in the Premier League.
But the fact remains that Simons outperforms them in pretty much every area except dribbling.
And Chelsea have already signed out-and-out wingers Jamie Gittens and Estevao Willian to boost them in that area.
Simons is also versatile. He started on the left most of the time for Leipzig last season but not as an out-and-out winger, coming inside to impose himself on the game.
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And he has also played on the right, as an attacking midfielder or No 10 and even as a false nine.
He would give Blues boss Maresca a variety of options and fits the Chelsea policy of buying gifted young players.
If the Londoners do complete a deal for Simons, doubts will be raised about how Maresca fits all that attacking talent into one team.
Could Palmer and Simons play together, without treading on each other's toes?
If one failed to deliver, then the other might.