Strasbourg's French defender Mohamed Simakan celebrates after his teammate scored a goal during the UEFA Europa League preliminary round football match between Strasbourg and Lokomotiv Plovdiv, at the Meinau Stadium in Strasbourg last year. (Getty Images)
According to The Sun (h/t MSN), West Ham are weighing up a swoop for highly-rated Strasbourg defender Mohamed Simakan, with David Moyes keen to bring in some defensive reinforcements before the summer deadline.
The Hammers have long been linked with a move for James Tarkowski but with Burnley refusing to budge on their massive £40million valuation of the England international, they are now exploring other avenues to improve their backline. (Sun h/t MSN)
Simakan is rated at £20million by Strasbourg and West Ham have had scouts keeping a close eye on the France U-20 international to determine whether he is really worth that much in the market. (Sun h/t MSN)
Born in France to parents of Guinean descent, Mohamed Simakan spent time at several lower-division clubs like Vivaux Marronniers, FC Rouguière, JO St. Gabriel, and Air Bel, as well as at Olympique Marseille at the youth level. He eventually joined Strasbourg’s academy in 2017 and enjoyed his senior breakthrough in Ligue 1 during the 2018-19 season.
Simakan made his professional debut for Strasbourg against Israeli outfit Maccabi Haifa in the qualifying rounds of the Europa League last year and went on to feature 19 times in Ligue 1, starting 17 games. The 20-year-old has continued as a regular starter for Strasbourg this term, playing the full 90 minutes in each of the club’s first five league fixtures so far.
Essentially a centre-back by trade, Simakan has also showcased the versatility to slot into a right-back role. He is widely regarded as one of the best rising talents in the French top-flight.
West Ham conceded as many as 62 goals en route to their 16th-place finish in the league last season, which was the fourth-worst defensive record in the entire division. The Hammers have continued to struggle at the back in the opening few rounds of the 2020-21 campaign as well, conceding five goals in their first two games against Newcastle United and Arsenal.
Hence, it doesn’t require a rocket scientist to figure out that David Moyes desperately needs to plug a few gaping holes in his backline to avoid another relegation scare for West Ham this term.
Angelo Ogbonna is nearing the latter stages of his career at 32 while Fabian Balbuena has struggled to inspire much confidence with his performances. Winston Reid, who is currently out on loan in the MLS, hasn’t been in the first-team mix at the London Stadium for ages.
West Ham ideally need to bring in a promising young centre-back with one eye on the future – someone who could make an immediate impact while also proving long-term stability at the back.
Mohamed Simakan, to that end, seems like a perfect option for the East Londoners. The 20-year-old is not the finished article just yet but his solid displays in Ligue 1 have already led to him being highly regarded as one of the best young talents in France.
Plus, the Strasbourg starlet is also capable of doing a job at right-back, meaning Simakan would provide Moyes with some additional cover for the likes of Ryan Fredericks and Ben Johnson in that department.
West Ham have one of the best young centre-backs of the league in Issa Diop and a potential deal for Mohamed Simakan could effectively sort out their problems at the back for several years to come.
The 20-year-old presents a much cheaper and feasible alternative to Tarkowski in the market and the Hammers could have an absolute gem on their hands if they manage to extract the best out of the immensely talented French starlet.
Having said that, £20million seems like a meaningful price tag for Simakan, who still has three years left to run on his current deal at Strasbourg.