The Athletic are continuing to link Chelsea with an alternative name to Xavi Simons and it will not go away right now.
Some Chelsea fans would perhaps not want the links to go away anyway as they might prefer this potential target over Simons.
Sources: Chelsea still in the market for a new striker, new centre back, and a new goalkeeper this window!
But I think the majority of Chelsea fans would sooner sign Xavi Simons over Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa, but I might be wrong.
This morning, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano gave Simons to Chelsea an 80% chance of happening, increased from a 70% chance last week.
That comes off the back of Romano also reporting yesterday that Simons is actively pushing for the move to join Chelsea and telling his club this is what he wants to do now as things get tense.
So it is one that just continues to heat up but also continues to look like it will actually get done. But if it doesn’t get done, are there any alternatives to Simons?
Athletic keep mentioning Rogers
Morgan Rogers would be a decent alternative option to Simons, but I think he would be a very expensive option.
Even still, The Athletic keep mentioning him alongside Simons with their reporting on the latter and the situation there, making me wonder why.
This morning they reported that there has been no formal bid made to RB Leipzig yet for Xavi Simons. Chelsea do have other players on their wishlist for these roles, including Morgan Rogers.
Maybe they’re destined to get Rogers
It’s a lot like the situation of Alejandro Garnacho to Chelsea. It’s been mentioned like every day all window and it looks like it might have been spoken into existence soon!
Maybe Rogers to Chelsea also gets spoken into existence!
It puts the club in a better bargaining position if they let leak that they are still pursuing and alternative. There may well be legitimate interest in Rogers, but it could just as easily be a ploy so that Leipzig doesn’t think they have us over a barrel. Bear in mind that very little of this intel makes it out into public view unless it behooves one or more of the parties to leak it.
For anyone interested there is a great tactical analysis of Xavi Simons game and how it might fit in on the Adam Clery Podcast website n YouTube.