Tottenham’s £51m man admits he was once close to joining Chelsea

It’s easy to forget Xavi Simons is still only 22, given how long his name has been in the spotlight.

Tottenham signed him ahead of Chelsea this summer, and while he took some time to settle in, his form has started to pick up recently.

But before that move, back when he was coming through the ranks at La Masia, Chelsea were already keeping tabs on him.

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, Simons was asked about being viewed as a future star at just 12 years old and the attention he received as a result.

He said: “Yeah, I remember like they [Chelsea] had interest and other clubs as well but I remember my dream was always Barcelona and that was my plan at that time.

“Obviously this it’s nice that clubs call you and try to show interest but I think at that time I didn’t need to move on.”

Chelsea passed up the chance to sign Simons twice. For much of this season, Blues supporters seemed content with that decision as he struggled to find his feet in England.

But with signs of improvement now showing in his game, those opinions might be starting to shift.

Simons’ role suits Chelsea’s current setup

Early on, it became clear that Simons was struggling to find his footing, especially when deployed out wide under Thomas Frank. That’s not where he does his best work.

He’s much more effective through the middle, and that’s where Tottenham have started to get more out of him recently.

Chelsea already have Cole Palmer and Estevao earmarked for central roles in the future, with Joao Pedro also an option.

Simons had two chances to become a Blue, but given how things have shaped up under Enzo Maresca, there doesn’t seem to be much regret around Stamford Bridge about missing out on him.