JOSE MOURINHO faces a duel with Italian legend Paulo Maldini for Strasbourg centre-back Mohamed Simakan.
Tottenham, Everton, Maldini’s club AC Milan and Germans RB Leipzig have reportedly watched the French starlet.
Mohamed Simakan celebrated his birthday on Sunday and is also the centre of attention for his amazing breakthrough seasonCredit: AFP – Getty
Defender Mohamed Simakan only made his Strasbourg debut last July but is now a regular and a reported target for clubs across EuropeCredit: AFP – Getty
Simakan’s agent Badou Sambague said: “There are many clubs interested – French, Italian, German, English and Spanish teams.
“But Mohamed is not in a hurry and knows he must take one step at a time in an intelligent way.”
MALDINI COULD TIP IT
Simakan, who turned 20 today, has made dramatic progress since making his Strasbourg debut in July last year, a 3–1 Europa League win at home to Maccabi Haifa.
Now a first-team regular, the Marseille-born starlet has played 25 games for a side who were tenth in Ligue 1 when French football was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic before being ended early.
The speculation so far is that the influence of Italian defensive legend Maldini makes Milan favourites to sign Simakan.
The Serie A giants are managed by ex-Chelsea chief Antonio Conte but Maldini is their technical director.
The former left-back and sweeper is one of the Azzurri’s greatest ever players, winning 126 caps from 1988-2002.
The one-club man is also Milan’s record-appearance maker by some way, playing 902 games over 25 years.
Simakan might feel few people are better placed to help him improve than Maldini.
In contrast, ex-Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid chief Mourinho can offer a dazzling managerial CV, including eight European domestic league titles, plus Champions League glory with both Porto and Inter MIlan.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
