Arsenal, Chelsea or Spurs? Leipzig star Simakan faces transfer conundrum

Tom Weber

• Updated: 9 Apr 2024 16:50 BST
• 3 min read

RB Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan is keen on a Premier League move.

The 23-year-old Frenchman is one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga on his day, though he has not quite managed to fulfil the potential he showed as a youngster. Capable of playing centrally as well as on the right, Simakan is a solid defender who is not afraid to get involved further forward if and when the opportunity presents itself.

The Leipzig man is confident on the ball to the point where he actively takes people on in possession and carries the ball forward. This is a risk, of course, but Simakan also has the physical capacity to make up for any mistakes. However, according to data analytics firm SciSports, Simakan overall has had a very average season.

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Nevertheless, the Frenchman remains an interesting prospect, having previously been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal. Now, according to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Tottenham and Newcastle are closely monitoring his performances and the player is keen to test himself in the Premier League.

Simakan's difficult choice

There are two problems, however. One is pretty straightforward: he has a release clause worth a hefty €70 million. Though SciSports believe that he still has significant potential, the fact of the matter is that this type of money is not justified for a player with an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €32m.

The more perplexing question is the fact that Simakan's decision on who to join is anything but easy. Using SciSports' Career Advice tool, we can see that the 23-year-old's best-suited Premier League sides are Tottenham and Arsenal. Spurs are actually interested, so a move to Ange Postecoglou's side would make sense right?

Well, not quite. According to SciSports data, Simakan is a worse player than Cristian Romero for example, while Micky van de Ven has shown this season that he can become one of the very best defenders in the Premier League. Simakan would not be a guaranteed starter at Spurs let alone at Arsenal.

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If we switch things around and look at clubs for whom the Frenchman would actually start, we see that he would not be a good fit for them! At Newcastle, for example, Simakan would be a solid replacement for ageing Fabian Schar, but a Club Fit rating of 72 is nothing to write home about.

At Chelsea, he would be the second-best centre-back option behind Levi Colwill, but the Blues' score is even worse than Newcastle's. They have a Club Fit rating of just 62. This, then, is Simakan's conundrum.

Do you sign for a side where you would fit the system but would have to massively fight for your place? Or do you join a team that is not a good stylistic fit but where you will likely be guaranteed a starting gig? Perhaps the answer is neither.

SciSports make it clear that the grass isn't always greener and that staying in the Bundesliga is his best choice. Borussia Dortmund and Leipzig are the sides with the best Club Fit score.