Source: Alamy Stock Photo

Mohamed Simakan: A New Star on Al-Nassr’s Horizon

Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr is on the verge of signing another European talent, with French defender Mohamed Simakan from RB Leipzig reportedly set to join their squad.

Saudi sources have revealed that Al-Nassr will pay €40 million for Simakan, with the fee structured over four installments, following an agreement with Leipzig on the payment terms.

Renowned Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, a specialist in transfer news, reported on his “X” platform that Al-Nassr has already reached an agreement with Simakan on personal terms. The club is expected to pay approximately €45 million to RB Leipzig in exchange for the defender’s services.

Romano also noted that Al-Nassr turned to Simakan after a failed attempt to sign Milan Škriniar, the Paris Saint-Germain defender. Despite reaching a deal with PSG, they were unable to finalize terms with the player.

Saudi media outlets have reported that the move for Simakan was driven by Portuguese coach Luís Castro, who insisted on bringing in a foreign center-back this summer.

Simakan, who made 32 appearances for Leipzig last season in the Bundesliga, was identified as the ideal candidate due to his impressive technical abilities.

Al-Nassr kicked off the transfer season by securing Brazilian goalkeeper Bento Krepski from Atlético Paranaense on a four-year contract and signing Salem Al-Najdi from Al-Fateh with a five-year deal.

Currently, Al-Nassr sits in fourth place in the Saudi Pro League standings after two matches, having drawn with Al-Raed and secured a victory over Al-Fayhaa.

Second Round Recap

The second round of the Saudi Pro League concluded last night, with French striker Karim Benzema and Algerian midfielder Houssem Aouar leading Ittihad Jeddah to a 2-1 victory over Al-Taawoun.

Al-Taawoun initially took the lead through Musa Barrow in the 59th minute, but Benzema equalized with his first goal of the season in the 70th minute, while Aouar secured the win with a penalty in the 98th minute.

With this victory, Al-Ittihad now shares the top spot in the league standings with Al-Ettifaq, Al-Hilal, and Al-Qadisiyah, each with six points. Al-Taawoun remains on three points after their first-round win over Al-Fayhaa.

Al-Shabab quickly bounced back from a 1-0 defeat to Al-Ettifaq, securing a narrow 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej, thanks to a 60th-minute goal by Yannick Carrasco.

Al-Shabab now has three points, placing them in tenth, while Al-Khaleej also has three points, currently sitting in eleventh place.

Al-Riyadh celebrated their first win of the season, defeating Al-Khulood 3-1.
Al-Riyadh took the lead through an own goal by Mohammed Jahfli in the 21st minute, followed by goals from Ibrahim Bayesh in the 75th minute and Mohammed Al-Aql in the 94th minute. Al-Khulood’s lone goal was scored by Spaniard Alex Quiado in the 50th minute.

This win lifts Al-Riyadh to fifth place with four points, while Al-Khulood remains winless at the bottom of the table in sixteenth place.