We’ve got some mixed news for Liverpool and Aston Villa fans today.
If you’re fortunate enough to support Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League champions, your hopes of seeing a new centre-half arrive during the January transfer window have just been handed a timely boost.
For Villa, however, it seems one of the world’s most talented young defenders may have slipped through Dean Smith’s fingers.
Mohamed Simakan’s agent told Calciomercato a few weeks ago that Aston Villa had shown an interest in the 20-year-old Strasbourg player.
According to Pianeta Milan, however, Simakan has agreed a five-year contract with Serie A leaders AC Milan instead.
The Rossoneri saw a £12 million bid rejected in the summer with Strasbourg demanding closer to £18 million.
A compromise could now be reached, however, with the Ligue 1 side struggling against relegation and facing a financial crisis following the sudden collapse of a billion-dollar TV deal, as relayed by the NY Times.
The report adds that Milan had also shown an interest in Schalke’s Ozan Kabak. But, with Simakan expected to arrive instead, the door has now swung open for Liverpool to snatch a highly rated Turkey international.
BILD claims the similarly crisis-ridden German giants will sell Kabak for just £18 million, despite a £40 million release clause in his contract.
The former Stuttgart youngster has, however, endured a horrific season at Schalke, who have failed to win any of their past 28 Bundesliga matches, giving away three penalties in total while being given the runaround in a humiliating 8-0 defeat to Bayern Munich.
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