Xavi Simons Joins Tottenham in Reported £52m Deal, Rejects Chelsea Interest

Tottenham Hotspur has officially announced the signing of Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig for a reported fee of £52 million (€60 million). The highly-rated attacking midfielder, who was also a target for Chelsea, has committed to a long-term contract with the North London club.

Simons, 22, was believed to have been in talks with Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca but ultimately chose Tottenham as his new destination. This transfer concludes Tottenham's search for an attacking midfielder, having missed out on other targets like Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze earlier in the window.

Previously on loan at Leipzig from Paris Saint-Germain, Simons made his move to the Bundesliga club permanent in January. However, after Leipzig failed to secure Champions League qualification for the upcoming season, he expressed his desire to leave, paving the way for his move to Spurs.

"I'm really happy and can't wait to get going. I've been dreaming of this for a long time," Simons told Tottenham's official website. "It's a great club, and when I met the head coach, I knew straight away that this was the right place for me. I will bring flair to the team, but also hard work and discipline. I want to do everything I can to win, for the team and also for the fans."

During his tenure at Leipzig, Simons made 78 appearances across all competitions, scoring 22 goals and providing 22 assists. Notably, he created more chances (174) than any other Leipzig player since his initial loan spell.

Simons becomes Tottenham's seventh summer signing, joining other notable arrivals such as Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, and Joao Palhinha. Spurs manager Thomas Frank expressed his excitement about the addition:

"I'm really pleased we have brought Xavi in—he is a great addition to the squad. He is still young but already has good experience and has played a lot of games at the top level. Xavi has proven his ability to get goals and assists, both from the No. 10 position and left-wing. He also has a great eye for unlocking defences, and I know he will integrate well into our hard-working team."