We’re one year on from last summer’s transfer deadline day, and it’s time to look back on West Ham’s business, or lack thereof, last year.
West Ham were desperate to sign a defender this time last year, but they failed in that pursuit, eventually having to turn towards Craig Dawson after the international deadline passed.
However, it wasn’t for the lack of trying. West Ham were linked with so many defenders last summer deadline day including Duje Caleta-Car, but the one man they may be kicking themselves for missing out on is Mohamed Simakan.
The Hammers were in for Simakan on deadline day last year, failing with a late approach and it’s fair to say they missed out on a gem.
Since then, on the back of another great season with Toulouse, Simakan has moved to one of Europe’s elite clubs, RB Leipzig, where he is ripping up the Bundesliga.
According to WhoScored’s ratings, Simakan is the second-best defender in the Bundesliga this season, behind Freiburg’s Nico Schlotterbeck, and it’s easy to see why he’s been rated so highly.
He’s averaging 2.4 tackles per game, 2.4 interceptions per game and 3.4 aerial duels per game, to put it bluntly, the centre-back has been a brick wall.
It’s no surprise to see that Leipzig have kept five clean sheets in the seven league games Simakan has played for them thus far. The Frenchman has been unbelievable so far.
Just compare his numbers to the man he replaced at Leipzig, Dayot Upamecano, and you can see just how good he is.
Last season, Upamecano was averaging just 1.3 tackles and 1.1 interceptions at Leipzig, while he won just 2.6 aerial duels per game and averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.87.
Simakan is outdoing his predecessor in every imaginable metric, and with Upamecano being considered one of Europe’s best young centre-backs, it’s fair to say that Simakan is a real talent, and with Leipzig paying just £15m for him, he was an absolute bargain as well.
West Ham’s defence is solid right now with Kurt Zouma, Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson, but David Moyes’ backline could have been even better had he signed Simakan.
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