Spurs secure deal with Leipzig star after Chelsea lowball offer

Tottenham Hotspur outbid Chelsea to secure RB Leipzig star after Blues’ lowball offer in dramatic transfer twist, despite 'preference' for the West London side.

Spurs have gone about the summer transfer window with a targeted strategy, bringing in midfield steel in João Palhinha, creativity through Mohammed Kudus, and adding depth with the likes of Kevin Danso.

Chelsea have been more expansive, securing Brazilian wonderkid Estevão Willian, João Pedro from Brighton, and picking up Liam Delap as part of a new wave of youth talent.

At the same time, the World Champions have trimmed down a bloated squad, moving on surplus players to balance the books.

But for all the progress, the two London rivals just clashed over the same Bundesliga talent, and Spurs have come out on top.

Tottenham swoop for Xavi Simons as Chelsea fumble

Tottenham’s capture of Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig for £51m, according to Sky Sports, feels like one of the defining deals of the window. Not just because of the player’s talent, but because of the way Spurs edged out Chelsea, who had been circling for months.

The Dutch international was understood to be interested by the prospect of Stamford Bridge, particularly the chance to join a squad built around young attacking players.

The Blues initial offer fell short of Leipzig’s valuation, and while negotiations dragged, Tottenham made their move. Daniel Levy and Ange Postecoglou outlined a clear role for Simons in their system to seal the deal.

It is understood that if Chelsea had offered £52m, the Bundesliga talent would likely be completing his medical in West London instead, as that is where his preference was.

Chelsea’s priorities should lie elsewhere

While losing out on Xavi Simons will sting, the bigger issue is what it says about Chelsea’s transfer focus.

The Blues have already stocked up heavily in attack this summer to add depth to a frontline that was hardly short on options to begin with.

Spending months chasing another forward, only to be beaten at the last second, feels like a misallocation of energy. The squad’s real gaps are further back, and smart signings would be in a reliable goalkeeper and a solid centre-back to bring stability.

Those positions remain unaddressed, and until they are, Chelsea’s rebuild risks looking unbalanced.

A keeper like Diogo Costa or Mike Maignan, and centre-backs such as Marc Guéhi or Antonio Silva, would address Chelsea’s real weaknesses far more than another forward player.