Former La Masia prodigy Xavi Simons has spoken candidly about his controversial departure from Barcelona, revealing that he left the club after realization hit that the board no longer believed in his future.
The Dutch playmaker, who progressed through the ranks at Barca and was widely expected to break into the first team, shocked the football world in 2019 when he opted to sign with Paris Saint-Germain instead. Breaking his silence on the move, Simons shared the real reasons behind his decision.
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Speaking on The Athletes’ Agents podcast, Simons recalled:
“It was made very clear from their side that they didn’t believe in me. Back then, I chose to stay silent because my focus was entirely on the pitch. But they explicitly told me, ‘We have other players we believe in. We can offer you a contract, but you aren’t really a core part of our project.'”
The departure was particularly difficult for Simons, given his deep emotional ties to the club where he spent his formative years.
“I lived there my whole life. I went through so much and spent my entire childhood there, so naturally, I love the club,” Simons explained. “All the media noise and rumors that came out after I left really hurt me and my family. The reality was simple: they just preferred other players at that moment, which is fine—that’s football.”
“Moving to PSG at 16, stepping into a massive project, and getting the chance to train alongside the best players in the world made the ultimate choice an easy one for me,” he added.
Following stints with PSV Eindhoven and RB Leipzig, Simons was frequently linked with a return to the Camp Nou in recent transfer windows. However, the midfielder has since embarked on a new chapter, now showcasing his talents in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur.
