According to reports in Germany, Liverpool are set to make a move for 24 year-old centre back Mohamed Simakan.
Arne Slot is keen on making a move but could have competition from Atletico Madrid who are also keen on the defender. According to Sky Germany journalist Philipp Hinze, both sides are interested and could be looking at a price tag between £33m and £40m.
He revealed that there has not yet been a formal move for the Frenchman, neither is he unhappy at Leipzig, but there is still a possibility that either Liverpool or Atletico Madrid could make the move.
Liverpool’s future Van Dijk replacement
With Virgil Van Dijk at 33, Arne Slot will be thinking about a possible replacement for the Dutch centre-back at Anfield. Simakan is not only strong and fast, he is also versatile, meaning he can play all along the back line.
He is also very comfortable on the ball much like Van Dijk and has a solid scoring record from set pieces. Even though he does not possess as imposing stature as Liverpool’s captain, his agility and defensive style make the Frenchman a good replacement.
The Reds have also shown interest in Crystal Palace and England man Marc Guehi, however his price tag is expected to be far higher than that of Simakan.
How likely is Liverpool to sign Simakan?
The good news for Arne Slot and Liverpool is that they don’t have a lot of competition for the 24-year-old. The likes of Chelsea and Manchester United are both looking to add centre-backs, but neither has shown interest in Simakan. Despite Atletico Madrid, there hasn’t been any reported interest in the defender which means if they were to put in a generous offer, they could land him fairly quickly.
The biggest issue for the Reds is that Simakan is fully in the plans of RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose and is already in pre-season training with the German side.
He is also considered to be very happy at Leipzig so if Liverpool wants to draw him away, they may have to produce an attractive transfer fee and a tempting wage packet.
