Chelsea eye Manchester United-linked playmaker over Alejandro Garnacho in transfer window

 Manchester United have shown interest in Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, but the midfielder could end up joining Chelsea instead.

Manchester United’s rebuild in attack took a big step forward on Monday with Bryan Mbeumo completing his move to Old Trafford.

Mbeumo has been given the number 19 shirt after United finally struck a deal with Brentford to bring in the Cameroon international.

Mbeumo is expected to slot into the number 10 role under Ruben Amorim, though he’s also shown he can play up front during his time at Brentford.

That might lead United to look for another number 10 later on, especially now that Marcus Rashford’s move to Barcelona has been confirmed.

Juventus are interested in Jadon Sancho, and Antony is being looked at by Atletico Madrid, so there could be space for another attacking addition to support a striker.

Chelsea focusing on Xavi Simons over Alejandro Garnacho

Reports out of Italy indicate that United remain interested in Bologna’s Dan Ndoye, while Xavi Simons is another player they’ve been tracking.

Back in April, there were claims that United had kept in touch with Leipzig about a possible £67million deal for Simons.

While United have already moved to bring in Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, a player of Simons’ quality was always likely to stay on their radar.

But it now looks like Chelsea are making serious moves to bring the Dutchman to Stamford Bridge. The Blues seem to have made him a top target heading into the new season.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that Chelsea are prioritising a move for Simons over Alejandro Garnacho, even though they’ve shown interest in both players.

Chelsea’s interest in Garnacho hasn’t faded completely, and the Argentinian winger is reportedly keen on staying in the Premier League. But with Jamie Gittens already signed and now serious movement toward Simons, it may be hard for Garnacho’s camp to see Stamford Bridge as an option worth waiting for much longer.

How Chelsea’s pursuit of Xavi Simons could impact Manchester United’s striker plans

United have shown interest in Nicolas Jackson, who appears to be falling out of favour at Chelsea this summer.

Chelsea added Liam Delap early in the window and have since brought in Joao Pedro from Brighton, further crowding their attacking options.

With playing time likely to be limited, Jackson could look for a move before the window closes. United have already had discussions with his representatives about a potential deal.

However, any move won’t come easily. United are working within strict budget limits, and recent talk of a possible Garnacho-Jackson swap may now be off the table.

While Simons wasn’t top of United’s list after the arrivals of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, his expected move to Chelsea could still affect their plans – not just by closing off an option for Garnacho but also complicating any pursuit of Jackson.