This summer, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS will look to bolster their Manchester United side, with a particular focus on the attack.
The perfect stage for the Red Devils to find talent is the current European Championship, with plenty of quality on display.
Two individuals who’ve already excelled at the tournament are Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, who both scored against Scotland.
With the two attacking midfielders in mind, let’s take a look at a United target who’s somewhat of a hybrid of the duo.
Man Utd’s search for a new attacking star
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man Utd have 'major interest' in making a move for the talented Xavi Simons.
Simons spent last season on loan at RB Leipzig, but he will return to Paris Saint-Germain after the Euros.
It’s mentioned that United have made contact with Simons’ agency recently, but as of right now, it seems a deal would be a straight loan due to the French team’s refusal of a sale.
Furthermore, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Borussia Dortmund are also keen on his signature, which may become a problem for the Red Devils.
How Simons compares to Musiala and Wirtz
Ever since his days as a youngster at Barcelona, Simons has been tipped to become a world-class player who has the potential to become one of the very best.
His development hasn’t happened quite as quickly as anticipated, but he finally started to show his true quality in the Bundesliga last season.
The 21-year-old started 32 times in the league, mainly operating as a winger who had the freedom to drift inside to find pockets of space.
The Dutchman became the main creative outlet in the side, producing 11 league assists, while also netting on eight occasions himself.
Goals
0.27
0.51
0.42
Assists
0.37
0.26
0.42
Key passes
2.68
2.15
2.77
Shot-creating actions
5.97
5.44
6.30
Touches
61.64
55.90
85.45
Progressive carries
5.12
5.28
5.24
Progressive passes
6.34
5.13
8.50
Successful take-ons
2.85
4.46
3.00
As you can see from Simons’ Bundesliga stats, it’s no surprise that FBref have classified him as a ‘similar player’ to Musiala and Wirtz over the last year.
Although he doesn't come out on top in any area, Simons has the same unpredictability to his game that enables him to create moments of magic from absolutely nothing, as displayed by his key passes and shot-creating actions.
The former PSV star can score and assist, and he’s the type of player that can win a game on his own, which is exactly what United need given they ended the campaign with a -1 goal difference.
Football scout Jacek Kulig even mentioned that Simons is 'a bit of both' Musiala and Wirtz, with the former being 'more of a dribbler' and the latter being 'more of a creator'. The stats certainly serve as evidence for that comparison.
Simons is the heartbeat of the team, someone who’s involved throughout, whether that be dropping deep to progress the play or receiving between the lines and causing chaos, as shown by his touches, and progressive stats.
The Netherlands ace is the definition of a "superstar,” according to analyst Ben Mattinson, who will do anything to ensure his side is victorious, which is the type of mentality Ratcliffe will desire from his players.
Simons and Bruno Fernandes would be a deadly duo, and it’d be almost guaranteed that the output of Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford would skyrocket with their service.
Overall, even if United can’t secure a permanent deal just yet, signing Simons on loan would be a huge boost to the side, especially considering he’s putting up numbers similar to Wirtz and Musiala.
What Man Utd's dream XI could look like after £230m spending spree
Marcus Rashford doesn’t make the best eleven.
1 ByTom LeverJun 7, 2024
