Over the course of his Manchester United managerial career, Sir Alex Ferguson managed to sign some wonderful talents. Players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic stand out due to their contributions across a significant period of time, winning countless honours.
However, it could be argued that one of his finest signings only won three major honours at the club, yet he had a devastating impact in front of goal – Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Across five seasons, the Dutchman scored 150 goals in just 219 games, displaying his ruthlessness in front of goal, and it’s fair to say his £19m move from PSV Eindhoven was a massive success.
And Erik ten Hag could repeat United’s Van Nistelrooy masterclass, especially since they have shown interest in a young Dutch talent who is currently playing for PSV – Xavi Simons.
Could Manchester United sign Xavi Simons?
According to Voetbal Primeur (via Sport Witness), the Old Trafford side are among those in the hunt for the youngster, alongside teams such as Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund. Paris Saint-Germain do have a buy-back clause of just €6m (£5.1m), however, which they could activate in July.
No fee was mentioned regarding a move to any other clubs, yet with Football Transfers valuing him at €34.5m (£30m) it may be that the Eredivisie side would be looking to demand a fee in that region at least, as the prodigy enjoyed a stellar campaign.
Despite his tender years, Simons – under the tutelage of Van Nistelrooy himself – was arguably the standout for PSV last term, managing to register 34 goal contributions (22 goals and 12 assists) across 48 matches, adding some silverware as they won the Dutch Cup.
Ten Hag could get a lot of uses out of the former PSG starlet, as he is able to operate in a variety of positions, including on either wing or in an attacking-midfield role, which is his primary position.
His creative talents would be a dream for United, as he created 11 big chances and made 1.7 key passes per game last season, with only Bruno Fernandes showcasing better figures for United across both metrics in the Premier League during 2022/23, clearly suggesting Simons could fit into their side rather well.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed the 20-year-old as “magic” previously, and with United having previous success of signing players from PSV, including the aforementioned Van Nistelrooy and Park Ji-sung over the years, they should be ready to raid the Dutch side once again this summer for a player who could turn into a world-class talent.
