Jan-Carlo Simic was once considered a promising defensive talent – and the 20-year-old still is. However, he recently moved to Saudi Arabia. Is that the right decision for a player who still wants to develop? Simic is certain that he made the right choice.
Jan-Carlo Simic, who was born in Nürtingen, took his first steps in soccer in Stuttgart, first with Kickers and later with VfB. In the summer of 2022, he finally moved to AC Milan, where he didn’t really make his mark and, after two years and four games, ended up fleeing to Belgium to join RSC Anderlecht.
In Belgium, Simic finally made his breakthrough, establishing himself as a regular (38 games, 3 goals) and even maturing into a Serbian international (5 caps). At the beginning of September, the young defender caused a stir when he made a surprise move to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia (on loan for $6 million, with an option to buy for $15 million).
Simic and the crucial question
The crucial question is whether this was a wise decision for his future career development. Simic is certain that it was. “I’m surrounded by players who have won the World Cup, the Champions League, and even the Ballon d’Or,” he said in an interview with the Belgian portal Le Derniere Heure, referring to his teammates such as Karim Benzema, N’golo Kanté, Danilo Pereira, Fabinho, Moussa Diaby, and Steven Bergwijn.
“We have an all-star team,” said Simic, who also struggles with the fact that Saudi football does not receive the appreciation it deserves on the old continent, in his opinion. “In Europe, we don’t understand how much football has evolved in Saudi Arabia. It is superior to many European leagues, certainly the Belgian one.” That’s another reason why his move is “a huge step forward” for him personally. Al Ittihad is the best team in the country, maybe even on the continent — and we could easily compete in any of the five biggest European leagues.
The defender also emphasizes that transfer policy has changed. The Saudis no longer rely solely on established stars, but also “recruit young players who are to be promoted and brought to a higher level.” This was the case with him. “Everything just fell into place here. And I don’t regret it in the slightest,“ he said of his transfer, adding that he does not see his national team ambitions as being jeopardized.
Learning from the greats
”I’m here with 15 national team players. So I think this can only have a positive influence on me.” Simic hopes to learn something from his famous teammates. He is looking forward to playing with Benzema, who is “one of the best strikers in the history of soccer. It’s just crazy, I can’t find the words to describe how happy I am. My teammates are people who have literally changed soccer. Everyone here inspires me.”
But especially Danilo Pereira, who has an “impressive resume. I will learn a lot from him.” This comes as no surprise, as the 34-year-old Portuguese is also a defender. The same applies to Al-Ittihad coach Laurent Blanc. As a player, the Frenchman was one of the cream of the crop in world soccer and one of the best defenders in the world.
And Blanc wants to pass on some of his wealth of experience, as Simic reveals. “When I arrived, he said to me: ‘I was a defender, so I’ll keep an eye on you. We’ll make you a better footballer.’” Simic also made it clear that he could imagine spending his career in the desert state – but on one condition.
“I’ll be completely honest: I’m here to stay. I told myself that I could have a career here. I’m not fixated on returning to Europe if the quality of soccer here continues to improve.”
