If you’re a football club looking to sign a talented young centre-back, France really should be your first port of call.
It speaks volumes about the treasure trove of defensive riches at Didier Deschamps’ disposal that, between them, Aymeric Laporte, Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konate, Kurt Zouma, Presnel Kimpempe, Jules Kounde and Boubacar Kamara have just 23 international caps between them.
So Mohamed Simakan has a mountain to climb if he wants to force his way into Les Bleus’ star-studded backline.
A move away from Ligue 1 strugglers Strasbourg would certainly enhance his growing reputation, however, with Tuttomercatoweb claiming that Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested.
Speaking to Calciomercato last year, Simakan’s agent also admitted that Aston Villa had shown a desire to sign the £18 million-rated centre-half.
An £18 million fee certainly feels like a substantial risk, given that this is 20-year-old who hasn’t made 50 league appearances in his short career.
Then again, that is exactly what the cynics said when Real Madrid plucked an 18-year-old Raphael Varane away from Lens a decade ago.
Now, the Gallic Galactico is one of the most decorated footballers of the modern era; a four-time Champions League and three-time La Liga winner who conquered the world in 2018.
“(Simakan) has athletic qualities reminiscent of those from Varane,” Strasbourg’s reserve coach Francois Keller once told L’Equipe.
“Mohamed immediately showed great maturity and an impressive ‘perimeter of destruction’.”
Simakan certainly shares a few similarities with a young Varane, his excellent positional sense, innate leadership skills and uncompromising physicality even catching the eye of AC Milan.
The Serie A leaders are expected to sign Fikayo Tomori instead, however, leaving Everton, Wolves and Aston Villa free to jostle for Simakan’s sought-after signature.
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