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Real Madrid attempted to sign Xavi Simons this summer — report

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Contract signing Xavi Simons at PSV Photo by Photo Prestige/Soccrates/Getty Images

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Former Barcelona academy player Xavi Simons, who was a Paris Saint-Germain player up until now, just signed a new deal with PSV Eindhoven, where former Real Madrid player Ruud Van Nistlerooy manages the team. Simons, 19, was a free agent.

A report published in French media outlet L’Équipe says that Real Madrid made contact with Simons before the Dutch midfielder signed for PSV in an attempt to bring the teenager to the Bernabeu.

That report is interesting, and at the very least, comes out of left field. Simons wasn’t on anyone’s radar in the media, and no one had reported any contacts between him and Real Madrid.

L’Équipe’s report states that Simons rejected Real Madrid’s offer (clearly). The plan was to bring Simons to Castilla and have him develop there for now. If true, that wouldn’t be too surprising. His talent aside, Simons is a marketable player and has a huge social media following, and that’s perhaps part of the reason Real Madrid wanted to bring him to Estadio Alfredo di Stefano.

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