Dani Olmo's first season at FC Barcelona left bittersweet feelings. The Spanish international arrived as one of last summer's star signings and he quickly showed his quality with decisive performances. His three goals in the first three matches excited the Barça fans, who saw in him an attacking midfielder capable of making a difference in the final third.
However, his great performance was hampered by injuries. Muscle problems kept him off the field for more than two months, making it clear that consistency will be one of the biggest challenges in his new stage as a blaugrana. Even so, Hansi Flick still trusts his talent and considers him essential for the project, although the club is already working on bringing in a reinforcement to provide greater competition.
70 million euros for this star
The sporting management is clear that they need to strengthen the attacking midfielder position and Xavi Simons is the chosen one. The Dutch footballer, trained at La Masia, left the Catalan club at an early age to try his luck at PSG and is currently shining at RB Leipzig. At 22 years old, he has established himself as one of the most promising talents in the European elite thanks to his versatility and ability to create danger in attack.
Barça values his return as a strategic operation in the medium and long term. The bet is not minor: Leipzig is asking for 70 million euros (€70 million) for the transfer, a high figure considering the club's financial situation. Even so, Deco trusts he can close a deal that will allow Simons to join the squad in the coming weeks.
Direct competition in the attacking midfield
Signing Xavi Simons would pose a challenge for Dani Olmo, who would see a player with similar characteristics arrive to compete for minutes in his area of influence. Hansi Flick, who appreciates both players' ability to play inside and on the wings, believes they could complement each other in certain matches. But he also sees Simons's arrival as an opportunity to raise the level of internal competition.
Meanwhile, Simons has reportedly informed Leipzig of his desire for a change of scenery. With impressive numbers in the last season, he feels ready to make the leap to a bigger club and the possibility of returning to Barcelona is especially attractive to him. Bayern Munich is also on the lookout, which could force Barça to speed up negotiations to prevent the Dutchman from ending up in Germany.