Xavi Simons’ agent Ali Barat has explained that the player decided quickly to join Tottenham after Chelsea had made it clear that there were clear constraints to them signing him.
RMC Sport have an interview with the agent today as he discusses a busy transfer window for him and his clients.
Simons joined Tottenham in a €65m deal at the end of the summer transfer window after making it clear he wanted to leave RB Leipzig this year.
The German club were happy to oblige, and the Premier League was named as a potential destination early on given the fees that they had demanded for the Dutchman.
Chelsea appeared to be the likely buyers as they continued their summer of reshaping for Enzo Maresca but prioritised other signings over the 22-year-old.
That left the door open for Tottenham to sign him instead and they quickly wrapped up a €65m deal as they sought a replacement for the injured James Maddison.
Simons has quickly established himself in Thomas Frank’s plans since, something which will please Barat, who says they chose Tottenham over Chelsea because of the project that Spurs put on the table.
“With Xavi, the key was to clearly understand his priorities and ensure that the club he joined shared his long-term vision,” he said.
“Xavi has a very strong mentality and a big personality. Tottenham and Chelsea are both fantastic clubs with solid projects, and there was genuine interest from both sides.
“But Chelsea was always clear with us; they had certain constraints that made it difficult to move forward in discussions.
“So, when discussions with Tottenham began, it became clear that this would be a project that would be a perfect fit for Xavi, and I think the discussion he had with Thomas Frank was really key to Xavi’s decision.”
