Kicker reports €45 transfer fee on finalized Simakan deal

On the occasion of Mohamed Simikan’s official presentation at Saudi club Al Nassr, Germany’s preeminent footballing publication has taken the opportunity to report that the German Red Bulls have pocketed a massive transfer fee for a very young player. 

Mohamed Simakan’s departure from RB Leipzig – inclusive all the requisite public statements – has been confirmed since Friday. The fact that the versatile 24-year-old defender was moving to the Arabian Peninsula wasn’t exactly secret news. For that matter, Simakan’s new employer was effectively known to all.

With reports of the actual transfer fee varying, Germany’s Kicker Magazine is nevertheless reporting that the German Red Bulls secured a mega €45 package for the Frenchman. Famous “Christiano Ronaldo” hunters Al-Nassr – who also currently employ former Bayern flop Sadio Mané – are known to have plenty of cash to flash. 

Simakan’s age still makes the deal rather unique. Unlike the likes of Ronaldo, Mané, Otavio, Aymeric Laporte, and Marcelo Brozovic, Simakan still has an entire career ahead of him. The Saudi outfit were able to ply Simakan away from Saxony for a transfer fee a full €10 million above his market worth. Simakan also had no exit clause in his RB contract. 

Leipzig were not thought to be the most enthusiastic about selling one of their best defenders, but were persuaded to do so by a late offer that enabled them to lucratively flip a player they once only paid a reported €15 million for. The chance to sell Simakan also enabled the RB administrative team the chance to immediately purchase Lutrashel Geertruida for less than half of what they received for Simakan.