It’s getting to that time of the year where clubs get their ducks in a row in preparation for the upcoming summer transfer window.
And Ed Aarons from The Telegraph has reported that Arsenal are showing strong interest in RB Leipzig’s Mohamed Simakan.
Simakan, a French defender who played for Ligue 1 side Strasbourg before making the move to German club RB Leipzig, has made a name for himself as one of the most talented young defenders in Germany while performing across the centre-back as well as right-back positions.
Arsenal have suffered a number of injuries in their backline this season, with the likes of William Saliba, Gabriel and Takehiro Tomiyasu suffered significant injuries during the club’s push for the English Premier League title. Simakan fits the profile of an Arteta player – a young player who is tactically flexible enough to play across numerous positions across the back. So it’s not surprising that the club are looking into potentially making a move for the Frenchman.
READ MORE:Â Ian Wright knows players who want to join Arsenal this summer.
Strasbourg’s director of training Francois Keller previously compared Simakan to fellow French defender Raphael Varane due to their similar physical qualities, teling l’Equipe: “We quickly realised that we were dealing with a phenomenon.”
“He tore the place up… I said to myself that we had the new Varane. He was athletic, powerful, assured and calm.”
The Bundesliga’s official website has even compared him to footballing icon Lillian Thuram due to his ‘effortless flexibility’.
Those are lofty comparisons. If Simakan can achieve half of what either of those players have done in their career, then he’ll turn out to be a hell of a player.
NEXT ARTICLE: Fabrizio Romano names Arsenal player as ‘untouchable’ this summer.
Understand that Arsenal are showing strong interest in RB Leipzig’s Mohamed Simakan. The 23-year-old defender signed a new contract until 2027 in December
— Ed Aarons (@ed_aarons) May 12, 2023
