Liverpool have expressed an interest in signing RB Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan
According to Sky Germany journalist Phillipp Hinze, Liverpool are one of the admirers of RB Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan.
The Frenchman is attracting a lot of interest following his fine performances in the Bundesliga this past season, with the clubs ready to poach him from RB Leipzig. He made 42 appearances across all competitions in the 2023/24 campaign, bagging three goals and four assists in the process for RB Leipzig.
Phillipp Hinze claims that Spanish side Atletico Madrid are also interested in Mohamed Simakan, who looks ready for a bigger challenge but is happy at RB Leipzig and is willing to stay for one more season. However, there has not yet been any negotiations or offers, and as a result, RB Leipzig are planning to continue with the defender for the upcoming campaign.
It’s been a very subdued summer transfer window for Liverpool so far with no new signings. New boss Arne Slot is planning to add to his squad to make the Reds competent on all fronts during the 2024/25 campaign.
The Dutch tactician is supposedly in the market for a central defender following Joel Matip’s departure upon the expiry of his contract at the end of June. This has left him with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez as centre-back options.
However, with senior figures such as Van Dijk turning 33 earlier this month and into the final year of his contract, Konate vulnerable to injuries and Gomez not up to the quality to be a starting centre-back for the Merseysiders, adding a new centre-back has become an absolute priority for Slot. Simakan, in that regard, would be a smart fit at Anfield.
Simakan has been at Leipzig’s books since 2021 but his best version was witnessed last season under the tutelage of Marco Rose. Despite being a centre-back by trade, the ex-French youth international featured 14 times at right-back in the 2023-24 campaign. This speaks volumes about the 24-year-old’s versatility, which could make him a utility addition to Slot’s ranks at Liverpool.
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Simakan also has decent European experience under his belt, having played in the Champions League and Europa League in Leipzig colours. Adding a player with European know-how is always beneficial for any club, especially Liverpool as we are about to compete in the Champions League in Slot’s maiden season in English football.
The Marseille-born star is valued at around £38m by Leipzig, which ideally should fall well in the range of Liverpool’s spending power. That being said, the Reds must not hesitate in signing Simakan as he is someone who can add a lot of value to the team in the next four to five years.
