Xavi Simons blocked from dream Chelsea shirt numbers after £90m transfers

Xavi Simons will not be able to get a preferred shirt number if he does ultimately secure a move to Chelsea.

Nearly 10 years since the west Londoners were first linked with the Dutchman, when he was only 12 years old, the Blues have jumpstarted their interest in his services. Football London recently reported that Chelsea are in talks with his representatives.

However, if the Blues do beat the likes of Arsenal to his signature, they will not be able to give him the perfect welcome gift. Simons will have to accept a different shirt number to what he is used to.

Over the course of his career, Simons has worn the No. 7, No. 9, No. 10 and No. 20 – but none of these numbers are available right now at Stamford Bridge.

No. 9 and No. 20 were given to new strikers Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, respectively. They arrived from Ipswich Town and Brighton and Hove Albion for a combined £90million, with Pedro having set Chelsea back a cool £60m.

Moreover, No. 7 is currently worn by Pedro Neto, while the No. 10 was handed to Cole Palmer before the FIFA Club World Cup.

Pedro and Delap, who contributed a combined four goals and one assist over the course of Chelsea's triumphant Club World Cup campaign, have also been joined by fellow attacker Jamie Gittens, as well as Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez, whose deals were already agreed before this summer.

Simons is understood to have been in touch with Chelsea over personal terms. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain midfielder can play behind the striker and on both wings.

The link with him comes soon after the Blues sold Noni Madueke to Arsenal for a deal worth £52million. Reports from talkSPORT claim the west Londoners will be willing to part with £60m to bring Simons to Stamford Bridge.

The midfielder has been at the Red Bull Arena since the summer of 2023, but he only moved permanently to the Bundesliga side in January, having spent the previous 18 months on loan. They paid £43m to officially make him their player.

However, it's understood the deal also includes potential add-ons worth as much as £27m. That figure will be slashed significantly if they are able to sell him.

Last year, Simons amassed 11 goals and eight assists in 33 appearances for Leipzig. He also has 28 international caps for the Netherlands, contributing five goals, one of which being a stunning strike against England in the Euro 2024 semi-final.

As well as Simons, the Blues have also been linked with a move for Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho again. The Telegraph claim that Blues boss Enzo Maresca has expressed a keenness to sign the Argentinian, who was not be included in United's squad for their pre-season tour of the US.

At the end of the campaign, Garnacho publicly criticised Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim after he was left out of the starting XI for the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

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