Chelsea handed boost in pursuit of Xavi Simons as Leipzig eyeing up move for Liverpool star as his potential replacement: Reports

Chelsea have been handed a boost in their pursuit of RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons, as the Bundesliga club have reportedly approached Liverpool to discuss the transfer of Harvey Elliott, whom they see him as a direct replacement for the Netherlands international.

Simons is set to leave Leipzig this summer, with a move to Chelsea looking increasingly likely. The Blues have been hot on the heels of the 22-year-old for the past couple of weeks, viewing him as an important addition to their squad, although there has been no breakthrough in talks yet with Die Roten Bullen.

According to The Athletic, Leipzig have contacted Liverpool about a possible move for Harvey Elliott this summer. While talks are not currently at an advanced stage, discussions between the two clubs are ongoing.

Leipzig have reportedly been monitoring Elliott’s situation at Liverpool for several weeks. The Premier League champions have placed a transfer valuation in excess of £40 million with a buy-back option, or above £50 million without one, for the midfielder.

Elliott struggled for game time under Arne Slot last season, starting just two Premier League games in their journey to a 20th top-flight league title. In July, the England international told the media that he could consider leaving Anfield, admitting that next year’s World Cup might force him to make a drastic decision.

Elsewhere, Xavi Simons is eager to finalise his move to Chelsea as soon as possible, following the club's recent announcement of the signing of fellow Dutch international Jorrel Hato over the weekend. Simons has deleted RB Leipzig from his bios on all social media platforms in what is seen as a clear message of his desire to leave the club.

How have Liverpool and Chelsea performed in the ongoing transfer window?

Liverpool and Chelsea have both been active in this summer's transfer window, with each club making a number of significant signings. The Blues recently signed Jorrel Hato from Ajax and still appear poised to make further additions before the window closes.

So far, Arne Slot’s side have made six signings, including breaking the British transfer record for midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. Meanwhile, Chelsea have completed eight signings, two more than their Premier League rivals.

While the Blues have made more signings, Liverpool are the only Premier League side to have spent more on transfers, with a staggering £295.5 million splurged on new arrivals. The West London club have just only crossed the £250 million mark, following the acquisition of Hato.