There is something about the striking options at Old Trafford; we have seen a long-standing problem finding a suitable striker whose goal scoring is quite celebrated of late, and these well-documented problems have continued with the current striking force of Jousha Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund. While we have seen flashes of potential from both of them, there has been a lack of fluidity in the attacking sequences which (in a way) have exposed the limitations of both of them.
And going into a new transfer window, Ruben Amorim has been desperate to bring in a new centre forward to resolve these striking woes when the next season comes around. This has led United to be linked with a move for multiple names, starting from the likes of Sesko, Gyokeres, and Osimhen to developing strikers like Delap. But now the Manchester giants are looking at Paris Saint-Germain ace Randal Kolo Muani, someone who brings in a sense of physical presence complemented by some athletic ability and technical elegance upfront.
There have been reports suggesting that the Premier League heavyweights have been fortifying their interest in the Frenchman who was on loan at Juventus in the last season, and given how PSG are desperate to get him off the books, he could end up becoming an intriguing option at M16.
What makes Kolo Muani a potential solution at M16?
Will Randal Kolo Muani be good for Manchester United?
To start with, unlike many target men and poaching strikers, Kolo Muani is more of someone that likes to play with dynamic movements where he can pull defenders wide and drop into available spaces (and pockets, depending on the state of the game) and end up creating spaces for players around him. And this ability to play across the forward line makes Muani an ideal player for United’s offensive system.
Moreover, he is more versatile in that attacking spaces; he can play in a number nine role, a wide forward, or even as a second striker. And moreover, his intelligence off the ball makes him stretch defensive lines and has the capacity to get better if rigid defensive structures.
Kolo Muani brings a sense of explosive pace along the channels complemented by his close control, which ends up making him a threat in transitions as well as set game plays. And a 26-year-old is also good at being the front man in the counters. Given his technical ability, he does suit United’s more direct approach in attacks.
One thing which would be a cause of concern for the chiefs at Carrington would be his numbers in front of goal, given how he has not been consistent with his form upfront for Paris Saint Germain. But that being said, he has consistently reached double figures in terms of GAs (goals and assists), showing that he is someone who contributes beyond pure finishing.
Can Kolo Muani complement Matheus Cunha at Old Trafford?
Manchester United are making solid efforts to sign striker Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint Germain this winter.
Manchester United are making solid efforts to sign striker Randal Kolo Muani.
Manchester United have already announced the arrival of Matheus Cunha from Wolves, and Amorim will be tasked with ascertaining if the Frenchman would go ideally with the former Wolves striker. The combination of both should definitely add some fluidity to the attacking sequences at Old Trafford.
When looking at Matheus Cunha and Randal Kolo Muani together, we can see that both the strikers are kind of different in terms of their striking profiles, and this can be used to blend with differing systems (and sequences) or even to fulfil different tactical layers of the play.
You can play the Brazilian in a connector role where he plays in small spaces and very much integrates midfield and even attack (very much like how he played for Wolves in the last season), where him leaving his zones vacant ends up making central defenders uncomfortable and pulling through with him, and once he pulls them, United have themselves a lot of different opportunities. Moreover, this way you have a player in the squad who changes the tactics (and structure) of the play depending on the game plays. And defensively, Cunha is someone who is very active in pressing from the front.
When thinking of Kolo Muani, he is very different as well. The Frenchman is a powerful and more direct off-the-ball runner who is very persistent in having the ball in the channels (be it wide or central). And then you see how he moves; it’s all about exploiting that vertical space behind the lines. He is technically strong on the ball as well (like Cunha). And when I am contemplating a defensive playing style, you see that Muani is someone who offers that high-intensity press and generally covers the wide pressing areas as well.
And his traits can be effective when paired with someone like Cunha, where the latter brings space understanding and control, and the former thrives in chaos and vertical playing opportunities.
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Author Opinion
Kolo Muani is an interesting choice; while he offers a lot of things and can go well when you play him beside Cunha, there needs to be a consideration about if the 26-year-old can bring goals. This United side did a lot wrong last season, but at times everything they did right didn’t end up in the back of the net, which comes as a wide sense of frustration to the supporters at Old Trafford. So Amorim needs to ask if he can end up compounding on goals if he sings for United.