While there is still some work to be done, Chelsea<\/a> have been incredibly effective in the transfer market this summer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Enzo Maresca<\/a> and Co. clearly wanted the majority of their first-team additions to be before the start of pre-season, and they’ve largely succeeded.<\/p>\n One team that has been quite the opposite is Manchester United, who got their hands on Matheus Cunha early but then proceeded to take well over a month to agree a fee for Bryan Mbeumo<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Europa League<\/a> runners-up look to have finally got their man for a price that could reach \u00a370m with add-ons, and now it looks like Chelsea want to sign someone who’s been compared to the Cameroonian international.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chelsea should enter next season full of confidence, as, in addition to the team that secured them fourth place last year, they’ve added some serious talent<\/a>.<\/p>\n The likes of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro will undoubtedly make Maresca’s side far more potent upfront, and the tremendously exciting Jamie Gittens should add more quality to the left-wing position.<\/p>\n Moreover, the West Londoners have shipped off Noni Madueke to Arsenal for a profit and could be set to earn a sizable payday on some of their other unwanted players.<\/p>\n The Conference League champions are not done there, though, as they now look determined to bring in a young attacker who could be their answer to Mbeumo.<\/p>\n At least, that’s according to a recent report in Friday’s print edition of Spanish publication Sport, as relayed by Sport Witness<\/a>, which claims Chelsea are seriously interested in Xavi Simons.<\/p>\n The report reveals that, alongside United, the Blues have held talks over a move for the Dutch international, although the reported price tag of around \u20ac70m is proving to be a problem.<\/p>\n It could end up being a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but Simons has proven he’d be worth spending big on, especially as he could be Maresca’s own Mbeumo.<\/p>\n One of the most significant comparisons between Simons and Mbeumo stems from FBref<\/a>, which analysed players in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League across the last 365 days.<\/p>\n It then concluded that the Brentford star was the fourth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the RB Leipzig star.<\/p>\n The best way to understand how that conclusion was reached is by examining some of the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked closely.<\/p>\n\n Chelsea target their own Mbeumo<\/strong>
\n <\/h2>\n\n How Simons compares to Mbeumo<\/strong>
\n <\/h2>\n
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