Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Xavi Simons is reportedly on the verge of signing a new deal with the French champions.
The 19-year-old starlet is currently due to become a free agent next week, and his future has been shrouded in uncertainty for the past few months.
Simons was a consistent part of Mauricio Pochettino's first-team squad in the 2021-22 season, but his opportunities on the pitch were few and far between.
Simons made nine senior appearances for Les Parisiens in all competitions but only started one Ligue 1 match, playing 66 minutes of February's 1-0 win over Rennes.
A return to Barcelona has been mentioned for the Netherlands Under-19 international, who spent nine years at La Masia before joining PSG in the summer of 2019.
Now, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims that PSG are close to agreeing a new long-term contract with Simons, and negotiations are now at their final stages.
Romano adds that Simons will then be sent out on loan to PSV Eindhoven in order to gain more first-team experience for the 2022-23 season.
The teenager has one assist to boast from 11 senior appearances for Les Parisiens so far and was also linked with a switch to the Premier League before agreeing to a new Parc des Princes deal.
Despite his lack of first-team starts, the 2021-22 season was another productive one for Simons at youth level as he scored four goals and set up six more in seven UEFA Youth League appearances.
Simons was allegedly frustrated that promises for PSG's younger players to gain more minutes at the start of the campaign were not honoured, but Luis Campos has made an effort to keep the club's top prospects on the books.
The former Barcelona man also has three goals and two assists to boast from six games for Netherlands' Under-19 side and is set to return to his homeland for the next 12 months.
Simons's compatriot Georginio Wijnaldum is facing a more uncertain future at the club, though, and the 31-year-old could supposedly be sold after just one season in Paris.
Wijnaldum only started 18 Ligue 1 games for Pochettino's side in the 2021-22 season and is thought to be on the radar of West Ham United, Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers ahead of a potential Premier League return.
PSG are expected to bolster their midfield with the signings of Porto's Vitinha and Lille's Renato Sanches this summer, and Lens midfielder Seko Fofana is also on the Parisiens' radar.
Nice manager Christophe Galtier is also due to arrive at the club to replace Pochettino and reunite with Campos, whom he worked alongside during Lille's title-winning 2020-21 season. body check tags ::
