Liverpool are reportedly preparing to bid for RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons as Arne Slot looks to add more creativity and technical quality to his midfield.

On Sunday, Liverpool lost 3-1 to Chelsea after Slot rotated Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott into the side. The resulting drop in quality from Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch was notable.

It’s unclear as yet whether there will be any sales in the midfield department this summer but if Slot doesn’t fully trust his backup stars, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see Liverpool recruit in the engine room.

Now it seems Liverpool are paying serious attention to the serious form Xavi Simons has been showcasing in Germany.

According to Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old has 10 goals and eight assists from 31 games. Of those matches, he Xavi played 16 as an attacking midfielder, yielding six goals and four assists and 14 on the left-wing with a yield of four goals and four assists.

Liverpool preparing £51m bid to sign Xavi Simons this summer

According to an exclusive from Empire of the Kop, “Liverpool are preparing to submit an opening offer of approximately €60m (£51.1m) for Xavi Simons, who they plan to evaluate as part of the club’s strategy to bolster their attacking options.”

Arne Slot is keen to bring his compatriot to Anfield and is reportedly “confident that the presence of the 22-year-old’s international teammates Van Dijk, Gravenberch and Gakpo could sway the RB Leipzig forward towards joining the Premier League champions.”

The report goes on to add that if RB Leipzig fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League, it will become “more plausible” that he makes the move to the Reds.

Additionally, RB Leipzig are reportedly holding out for a bid in the region of €70m-€80m (£59.6m-£68.1m).

Xavi Simons would be a world class signing to make and perfectly fits FSG’s transfer profile

The 22-year-old playmaker is one of those players that, even if Liverpool have to force him into the team, you just sign. He is almost certain to bloom into a world class players in the next few years which will likely coincide with the eventual exits of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

By that point, Xavi would be an established member of the starting XI, fully up to speed with the demands of the Premier League and would give Slot the ability to usher in the post Salah and van Dijk era.

Of course, it all depends on the finances at Slot’s disposal because £60m would be a lot to spend on a non-essential position of the pitch.