Big transfer profit: RB sells Simakan to Saudi Arabia | Kicker

Farewell from Leipzig: Mohamed Simakan.
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It should have been a quiet deadline day for those responsible at Leipzig. But suddenly, sports director Marcel Schäfer and sports director Rouven Schröder had to get the wires hot again. Because Mohamed Simakan approached the decision-makers with a vehement desire to move. Four days later, the deal is official.

“In his three years at RB Leipzig, Mo Simakan has played his way into the hearts of the fans and always gives his all on the pitch. He is a great guy and has always identified 100 percent with the club and the city,” said Schröder about the Frenchman’s departure.

Despite being only 24 years old, the Frenchman is now following the lure of Saudi Arabia. Al-Nassr, where the defensive specialist will play alongside Champions League record goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo, is reportedly paying a transfer fee in the region of 45 million euros. By comparison, RB bought Simakan from Racing Strasbourg three years ago for “only” 15 million euros.

The contract until 2027 without an exit clause made the hefty transfer profit possible. The Champions League participant immediately reinvested the money in a successor: Lusharel Geertruida, whom the Saxons had happily lured to the Bundesliga last summer, arrived from Feyenoord Rotterdam on deadline day.

In demand as a centre-back and right-back at the start

With Simakan, a key player of the recent past is leaving Leipzig. The extremely athletic defender played a total of 85 Bundesliga games (four goals) and 18 Champions League games (two goals) for RB.

“Mo has now decided to go down a different path. We respect that, thank him for his appearances in the RB Leipzig jersey and will remember many beautiful moments. We wish him only the best for his future,” Schröder said in a statement from Leipzig.

Simakan himself said goodbye emotionally: “It was an honour for me to be able to play for this club, in this city and for these fans. The three years with RB Leipzig were incredible and the best time of my career so far. I was able to develop excellently here and we experienced so many special moments together. I will miss all of this very much and will always carry it in my heart.

Last season, Simakan played 32 times in the league (two goals, four assists, kicker average rating 3.10). At the start of the new season, Simakan started both in the DFB Cup in Essen (4:1 – as a central defender) and in the 1:0 win against VfL Bochum (as a right-back).