In a recent tweet, journalist Florian Plettenberg mentioned that Newcastle United have identified Red Bull Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan as a target for this summer transfer window. It has been stated that the Magpies would have to rival Barcelona and Liverpool in the race to land the French defender.
Simakan’s Impressive Form In German Football Last Season
Simakan enjoyed a solid season at the Red Bull Arena as he put in a handful of impressive displays for them in the Bundesliga. The French centre-back made 42 appearances for the German club in the previous campaign, scoring three times and grabbing four assists in multiple competitions.
The 24-year-old was a decent contributor on the defensive end of the field and deserves credit for averaging 1.5 shots, 0.9 key passes and 2.1 clearances per game in the Bundesliga. He was even accurate when distributing possession from the back after completing 86.3% of his attempted passes in the German top tier (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the German club will run out in the summer of 2027 which could make it difficult for the Magpies to get a deal done for him on the cheap before the end of this month.
What Will Simakan Bring To Newcastle United?
Simakan is a tough-tackling defender who can time his challenges well to make some important interceptions for his side on the defensive end of the field. He doesn’t mind clearing his lines when the opposition are on the offensive.
Standing at 1.87m, the French talent can use his robust frame to win a few 50-50 aerial duels for his team. He is a tidy passer of the ball as well but would need time to adapt to the high intensity of English football if Newcastle manage to snap him up this summer.
Simakan would bring more bite and steel to Eddie Howe’s defence. He has what it takes to help the Magpies compete across all fronts in the coming seasons. At 24, the best is yet to come from the French defensive ace as long as he continues to improve with each year.
With all things considered, Simakan would be an excellent signing for the Tyneside club to pull off in this transfer window, so Howe would be wise to move in for him soon.
