In a recent tweet, The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope revealed that Newcastle United have identified Red Bull Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan as a target for this summer transfer period. It is understood that the Magpies are eyeing a move to bring the French centre-half to St. James’ Park this month.
Simakan’s Impressive Form In German Football
Simakan had a solid campaign in the Bundesliga recently as he managed to put in a run of impressive displays at the heart of Leipzig’s backline. The French talent participated in 42 matches for the German club last season, scoring three times and grabbing four assists across all competitions.
The 24-year-old gave a good account of himself on the defensive end of the field based on his average of 1.5 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 2.1 clearances per game in the Bundesliga. He was even careful when distributing the ball from the back after making 86.3% of his attempted passes in the German top tier (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the German club will expire in the summer of 2027 which could make it difficult for the Magpies to snap him up on a cut-price deal before the end of this transfer period.
What Will Simakan Add To Newcastle United Boss Eddie Howe’s Side?
Simakan is a solid tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to earn the ball back for his team inside his half. He usually clears the danger when the opposition are on the front foot and can use his strong 1.87m frame to dominate the opposition attackers in the air.
The German talent can chip in by scoring and creating his fair share of goals from the back. Simakan is an accurate passer of the ball as well but there are some concerns over whether he can maintain his good form in Premier League football.
At 24, the French talent has his best years ahead of him. We can expect Simakan to add plenty of bite and steel to Newcastle boss Eddie Howe’s defence. He is good enough to fight for regular first-team football at St. James’ Park this season. All in all, the Magpies would be wise to go all out to get a deal over the line for Simakan this summer.
