Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea are among the many suitors of Dayot Upamecano (France, 10/27/1998), which currently has a market value of around 60 million, according to Transfermarkt. However, as The Guardian points out, Leipzig is not willing to let the French defender go despite the fact that a clause comes into force in the summer that would lower his starting price to 42 million euros.
Upamecano, which this season has played a total of 1972 minutes in 24 matches between all competitions, is one of the footballers who are awakening the most interest internationally. In the last hours, according to reports in England, Chelsea have increased their interest in the Leipzig defender, but his current club is not thinking of selling him.
With the team coached by Julian Nagelsmann fighting for the Bundesliga title – they are second, two points behind Bayern -, Upamecano's withdrawal at this time may harm the group, so the Germans are closed in band.
They do not seem to be concerned about the fact that the French defender have a clause in your contract, which comes into force in the summer and which would lower its sale price to 42 million euros, a bargain for the large amounts of money that have been hit by defenders in recent years.
Leipzig tie their substitute
With Dayot Upamecano arousing the interest of the great European clubs, RB Leipzig has set to work to find a replacement for the French international. As RMC Sport has reported, that substitute would be Mohamed Simakan, Strasbourg center-back who could end the season on loan in Ligue 1 before joining the discipline of the team coached by Jules Nagelsmann.
Simakan was one step away from signing for Milan in the winter market, but a muscle injury that will keep him off the pitch for two months has prevented him. The 20-year-old is very versatile and fits like a glove in the Red Bull philosophy: He can play center-back in a 3-defender system, he can act as the right lane and has also performed in a 4-defender drawing.
Simakan's price would be around € 20 million, the same figure that Strasbourg had asked Milan when the Rossoneri asked about the one born in Marseille. Leipzig want to close the signing as soon as possible to ensure they have the replacement of Upamecano in June and will transfer him to Strasbourg until the end of the season. This season, the defender has played 19 games, scoring a goal and giving other assists.