FC Barcelona sporting director Deco met representatives of RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons in Barcelona on 17 July, according to Spanish and French media reports. The 45-minute meeting with intermediary Ali Barat and Simons’ brother Faustino explored the Dutch player’s interest in returning to the Catalan club, where he spent part of his youth career. Simons, 22, is valued at roughly €70 million after scoring 11 goals in 33 matches last season despite an early injury. While the player has told his entourage he wants to leave Leipzig this summer, Barcelona’s strained finances and what coach Hansi Flick has called an “overbooking” of midfielders make an immediate transfer unlikely. The talks were described as exploratory, aimed at keeping abreast of Simons’ situation should market conditions change.