Stripes by Xavi Simons

xavi simons smile at PSV Eindhoven. He feels loved at a club after three seasons away from the spotlight and almost ostracized within the so-called monster Paris Saint-Germain. With no place in the French team, this summer he packed his bags for Netherlands and now he is a benchmark for the next rival of Seville in European League.

Although now it seems like a joke, Simmons come free to the entity headed by Jan Albers. The young Dutch pearl was shocked after breaking a verbal agreement with PSG to extend his contract, which expires in June 2023. His original idea was to extend his relationship with the French team in exchange for a loan to PSV.

However, in a last-minute move, Simons signed until 2027 with the PSV and he broke with the Parisian entity, saving a termination clause of four million euros that could be activated at the end of the course.

That turned out to be the best decision ever made by a 19-year-old who is now a benchmark in Dutch football. After the halfway point of the course, his performances went unnoticed. He was finally able to exploit some qualities aimed high in Barcelona’s academy and it did not appear in the scant 18 games he enjoyed at the highest level of football with him. Paris Saint-Germainwhere for two seasons he alternated minutes between the lower categories and the first team.

FROM PSG OSTRACISM TO PSV PROTAGONISM

The high list of millionaire figures living in the universe PSG They didn’t envision more minutes for a player who needed experience and wanted to take a step forward in his career. and in PSV Eindhovena priori a minor club in Europe, has found the perfect place to project his career towards future continental targets of a higher caliber.

At the end of June, john dejongsports director of the Dutch entity, was euphoric after closing the signing of Simons: “We have seen almost all his games this season. We have also seen him live on Youth League in Leipzig, Paris, Bruges, Manchester and against him Seville. He convinced us. Xavi has everything it takes to be a major player in PSV. He is ready to be taken.”

One of the culprits of the arrival of Simmons in PSV Eindhoven his current coach, Ruud van Nistelrooy. The former player of real Madrid he had been trying to get her for a long time. And, when he achieved his goal, he quickly found himself well equipped to become his franchise player.

“PSV is a great club. The ambition expressed by the management inspired me. I spoke to the coach quickly and he told me a lot about the club’s project. I know how he wants to play and how he sees the my role,” said Simons after leaving from PSG.

SIMONS, EXPLODES IN EIGHT MONTHS

Since June 29 where his signing for PSV until now, Simmons does not stop growing. He accumulated 30 official matches (5 in the Europa League, 2 in the Champions League qualifying stage, 20 in the Eredivisie, a couple in the Dutch Cup and another in the Super Cup) in which he scored 13 goals -the last . was a good goal against Groningen this Saturday- and 5 assists.

His influence on the game of PSV, beyond the numbers, is total and some authorized voice of Netherlands They are already warning of their potential. For example, Raphael Van der Vaartwho aims high: “I think he is the best player the Dutch team has today. If I were Koeman, I would build a team around him,” said the former Real Madrid player.

Simmons it came quietly and made noise. At first, he was in the shadow of the great PSV star, Cody Gakpo, who rose in value during the Qatar World Cup. His departure from Liverpool for 42 million euros in the winter market has left a completely clear for Simons, who, now, is the great benchmark for his team.

He Seville You will no longer encounter player-unknown. Simons had no doubts about his projection. After fearing the ostracism he suffered at PSG, has the necessary experience to establish himself as PSV’s franchise player at just 19 years of age. And its market value is rising like foam.

It goes to 18 million euros and up. Within Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, a first-rate scenario, Simons will try to monopolize more spotlights. And he will do it in the stripes of the captain general, something that was unthinkable just a few months ago, when he wandered aimlessly in the belly of Paris Saint-Germain.