Manchester United face Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend and will be up against a striker once linked with a move to the club.
Now looking back at 2023, it is obvious that Manchester United’s move for Rasmus Hojlund was not the success we hoped it would be.
United’s negotiating team did not have the stomach for a transfer battle with Tottenham over Harry Kane, and then overpaid for Hojlund at £64 million instead.
Hojlund scored only 26 goals in 95 games for United, and has been sent on loan to Napoli, where he is expected to sign permanently.
So the Hojlund deal did not work out. But it could have been worse.
United’s alternative to Hojlund was an even more expensive move for Randal Kolo Muani.
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United linked to Randal Kolo Muani in 2023
Manchester United’s alternative to Rasmus Hojlund was Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani.
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Despite his crushing World Cup Final miss for France, Muani had a standout 2022/23 season in Germany, where he scored 23 goals in all competitions and provided 17 assists.
Andy Mitten reported for The National in 2023 that United negotiated with Frankfurt, who publicly demanded £80 million for his signature.
Muani eventually signed for Paris Saint-Germain for £77 million, and struggled badly.
He scored only 11 goals in 54 matches for PSG, before a loan to Juventus, where he scored 10 goals.
United were sporadically linked with Muani due to historic interest in the player and his cheap availability, but there was never a serious intent to sign him.
Muani eventually signed for Tottenham at the end of last summer on loan from PSG, and he has struggled to make an impression.
Not once have United regretted the decision not to pay a premium or bargain price to bring him in.
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Muani set to face United
If you have not noticed Kolo Muani at Tottenham then we could not blame you. He has not made any impact at all in the Premier League.
Muani has played 16 Premier League games for Tottenham and has 0 goals and 0 assists.
The Frenchman has netted three goals in seven Champions League games, but domestically he has been a non-factor.
He did play against United in the 2-2 draw earlier this season but failed to make an impression.
Now he is set to finally make his journey to Old Trafford.
And we hope he makes it 17 games with 0 goals and 0 assists.
Instead of the £80 million player deciding to turn up.
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