With just a week to go until the new Bundesliga season kicks off, Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani is still at the club, despite being heavily linked with a big money move away this summer. Potential suitors Bayern Munich and Manchester United have both gone for alternative options leaving Paris St. Germain as the favourites to land the French goal getter.
The question seems to when, not if the striker moves on, but should Markus Krösche take a leaf out of the Daniel Levy playbook and insist on getting their full valuation of the player they signed on a free only last summer?
Bayern’s pursuit of Harry Kane finally came to fruition on Thursday last week with Bayern having to continually up their offers for the England striker until Spurs’ chairman Daniel Levy’s valuation had been met. In the end Bayern had to fork out €100 million for a player with just one year left on his contract as the selling club played hardball.
Eintracht Frankfurt value Kolo Muani at a similar level, but the 24-year-old has a contract at the Deutsche Bank Park until 2027, so unlike Kane they are under no financial obligation to sell him. However, after a stellar breakout debut season in the Bundesliga last season where he scored 15 goals and provided 16 assists, his future seems to look elsewhere with the ‘big clubs’ seeking his services.
Paris St. Germain remain the favourites to sign him, but much will perhaps depend on the ongoing situation with Kylian Mbappe. The Parisiens have already signed Gonçalo Ramos from Benfica and will likely look to offer around 80 million for €Kolo Muani. There are also reports emerging that Frankfurt have offered the French international striker to Real Madrid, although the player is said to have already agreed personal terms with PSG.
Getting PSG and Real into a bidding war would be the ideal solution and the best bet for getting close to their €100 million valuation. However, considering the Adler signed the striker on a free from Nantes last summer, they are going to be quids in whatever fee they end up getting. The option of holding onto him for another season remains on the table, with a similar fee also probably on the table next summer.
Time to open the Levy playbook Herr. Krösche.
