What can Liverpool fans expect from centre-back target Mohamed Simakan?

The Red Bull group is renowned for their track records for developing and nurturing talents. 

Having come through the RB Leipzig talent pipeline, Mohamed Simakan has established himself as one of the most dependable defenders in the Bundesliga. 

Simakan has made 120 appearances across all competitions over three full seasons, evolving into a well-rounded defender with reliable defensive skills and impressive on-ball qualities. 

The Frenchman’s performances have rightly attracted the attention of top European clubs, including Liverpool and Atletico Madrid. 

Liverpool are yet to make the first senior signing of the Arne Slot era, and a centre-back is among the key positions that they are looking to bolster. 

Although the club lost out on Leny Yoro to rivals Manchester United, a robust scouting setup ensures they will quickly move on to other targets without the need to panic. 

Mohamed Simakan Transfer Value - how much is he worth now? 

According to FootballTransfer's Player Valuation Model, Simakan currently has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €29.7m. 

Liverpool’s CEO of Football Michael Edwards is a known admirer of players from the Red Bull network, having previously acquired Naby Keita, Ibrahima Konate and Takumi Minamino. 

The club will be aware of the premium that is demanded for their players, and an offer of around €45m will be needed to bring him over to Anfield. 

What can Simakan bring to Liverpool? 

With the departure of Joel Matip, and captain Virgil van Dijk heading into his final years at the top level, the Reds need to establish a solid defensive succession plan. 

Versatility is increasingly desirable for elite teams, as players who cover multiple positions can help withstand an injury crisis and compete on all fronts. 

Simakan epitomises this quality, having started 26 games as a centre-back and 14 as a right-back last season. He can offer Slot more flexibility within these roles and can also play in a back three or as a right wing-back in a back five. 

The 24-year-old is progressive and secure with the ball, a rare combination that highlights his technical competency. He also has a good passing range with both feet and is fairly press resistant. 

As an athletic defender, Simakan loves to push forward and overlap when playing as a right-back, using his speed to provide defensive cover behind. 

This athleticism also allows the French U21 international to get into great goalscoring positions, with an Expected Goals (xG) of 0.15 per 90 minutes ranking him high among both centre-backs and full-backs in the Bundesliga. 

Defensively, he is patient in 1-on-1 situations, especially out wide, excelling in delaying and timing his tackles well. His anticipation and awareness saw him average over three tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, with many of these occurring higher up the pitch. 

He ticks off yet another box with his aerial presence, which is strong and effective inside both penalty boxes. 

For Liverpool, the former Strasbourg man can be a direct replacement for Matip, and offer depth and competition to Joe Gomez and Konate. His ability to play in multiple positions across the backline will also not stifle the development of young talents such as Jarell Quansah. 

Simakan represents an exciting prospect, and his versatility and potential to develop further make him the kind of smart signing that has proven very successful for the Reds.

This article was provided by FootballTransfers