Hull City boss Liam Rosenior is hopeful that on loan Chelsea midfielder Xavier Simons will remain with the Tigers until the end of the season and beyond, with the club in discussions with the player and Chelsea about his future. The 19-year-old midfielder has struggled for minutes this term but Rosenior has waxed lyrical about the youngster's ability on a number of occasions.
Simons has played just eight minutes of Championship football and started against Fulham in the FA Cup this term, while rarely making matchday squads. In a similar predicament, Harvey Vale's loan was ended this month despite not being able to go out on loan again and Chelsea's academy player of the season 2022/23 has returned to the development squad for the remainder of the term.
However, it is understood that Hull have made no secret of their hope to land Simons on a permanent deal in recent weeks, with the club pushing hard to persuade the Cobham graduate of the merits of staying at the MKM Stadium. Rosenior confirmed that to Hull Daily Mail.
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He said: "We're in negotiations with Xavi at the moment and the club are speaking with Chelsea at the moment about his loan agreement and where that is. We're in negotiations about whether he stays here on loan, whether he goes back. Whatever happens in the short term, I would love to work with him in the long term and that's something I've made really, really clear.
"I really like the kid, I think he's got a great future and we've just got to work with Chelsea and see if the best thing for him is to get his football away from here (until the end of the season) - I think his best place is to stay here with us and I think he's going to get his opportunity in the end, he's just got to be patient."
Simons made his Chelsea debut in the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Brentford last term and was set to see his contract expire before agreeing a deal until 2023 as the Blues confirmed their released list. The club is believed to have an option to extend the deal by a further year.
Despite his lack of time on the pitch, Simons has drawn interest from elsewhere this month, while AFC Wimbledon were interested in the midfielder in the summer. Rosenior is unperturbed, however, and believes Simons is invested in Hull, even if that means a temporary departure.
The former Derby boss added: "He's delighted to be here. I've had lots of good conversations with Xavi, I think he enjoys being here, working under myself, and he sees that long term we are going somewhere.
"There are clubs in for him, there are clubs that want to take him, good clubs, but he's really committed to this. And it's great that he's committed at a time when he's not even making the bench which is through no fault of his own, it's just the competition for places is so good."
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