EVEN Randal Kolo Muani admits his World Cup final miss will haunt him forever.
But a move to the Premier League could go a long way in burying that memory and reviving his career after being frozen out at Paris Saint-Germain.
Tottenham are leading the hunt for the France international, 26, while Manchester United are also in the hunt.
And they hope RKM can reproduce the form that made him a star at Eintracht Frankfurt, rather than the moment he is best remembered for outside Germany.
It was 3-3 in stoppage time at the end of extra time in the most incredible World Cup final of all time, when Kolo Muani was given the opportunity to seal victory for France.
As he approached Argentina's goal, he had captain Kylian Mbappé to his left, ready to become the first player to score four times in the biggest game in international football.
But Kolo Muani himself went for goal and Emi Martinez kept the ball out with the left leg, earning his team a penalty shootout which they won, clinching the trophy for the third time.
RKM said: “I could have rewarded him, I could have given the ball to Kylian, but at that moment I didn't see him.
“When you see the video you see that there were other options, but it's too late, there's nothing you can do. It still sticks it in my throat and it will stay there for life.”
To be fair to Kolo Muani, he didn't seem to let the disappointment affect the rest of his breakout season for Eintracht.
After securing a free transfer from French club Nantes in the summer of 2022, he returned from Qatar and picked up where he left off.
Kolo Muani scored a further ten goals and a further three assists in the Bundesliga and fired Eintracht to the German Cup final, finishing the season with 23 goals and 17 assists in 46 games in all competitions.
Erik Peters, Eintracht reporter for leading German media outlet Bild, said: “Kolo Muani has had an incredible season.
“From his very first game, when he came on as a substitute and scored against Bayern Munich, he looked special.
“He was so fast, with his long legs, and had great skills.”
One of Kolo Muani's standout moments is a painful reminder of one of the managers who could soon be in charge of him.
Ruben Amorim was Sporting Lisbon boss when Eintracht came to Portugal in December for a winner-takes-all match in the final round of the Champions League group matches.
And it was Kolo Muani who scored the winner as the German side came from behind to win 2-1, clinching a place in the last 16 and sending Sporting to the Europa League.
You can make a good argument that Kolo Muani would be a better fit for Amorim's playing system at United than Ange Postecoglou at Spurs.
At Eintracht he was mainly used as a frontman in a 3-4-2-1 formation.
And if Postecoglou sees the Frenchman more as an outside option, he will make a mistake – according to Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner.
The Palace head coach left Eintracht at the end of the 2022/2023 season.
Shortly after Kolo Muani made his own move to PSG, Glasner still gave him a glowing reference but warned he would be lost if he played on the wing.
Glasner said: “For me he is not a wide player.
“I needed a Kolo Muani who scored goals, and off the ball he gave a lot of assists, but he scored very little.
“So he had to be in the middle.
“Kolo Muani was also our number 9, but he had a lot of freedom. I couldn't expect him to wait in the penalty area for the ball to come. He had to find places in the defense.”
BITTER GOODBYE
But the happy memories Eintracht fans have of Kolo Muani were overshadowed by the manner in which he left for PSG.
For some, it was understandable that the Frenchman wanted to play for one of the biggest clubs in Europe in his hometown. He, Arsenal's William Saliba and Mbappe all hail from the northeastern suburbs of the French capital.
But the way he forced the move left a bad taste in the mouth.
After returning from the World Cup, Kolo Muani changed agents and teamed up with Moussa Sissoko, whose client list also included Ousmane Dembele.
In 2017, Dembélé went on strike at Borussia Dortmund before moving to Barcelona.
Kolo Muani did the same when PSG, having already signed Dembele, stepped up their efforts to sign him as well.
The transfer went straight to the wire on deadline day in September 2023, but ultimately Eintracht were able to squeeze 95 million euros (almost £80 million) out of PSG.
It was an incredible fee, but little compensation at the time for the Eintracht fans, who labeled Kolo Muani greedy.
'Cash does not change its character, it only makes it visible'
At the first match after his vindictive departure they showed a banner that read: Kohle Muani (Kohle is German for money) – cash does not change its character, it only makes it visible.
Some still believe that Kolo Muani is a decent guy who was simply ill-advised.
But it is fair to say that there is plenty of gloating in Frankfurt about the fact that he did not succeed at PSG.
Boss Luis Enrique repeatedly defended Kolo Muani as he struggled to fit in with Mbappe and Dembele despite establishing themselves as France's front three.
But with RKM being deployed widely at times and rumors of a falling out with Mbappé, the big-money signing's form leveled off. The last of his six goals in Ligue 1 in 2023/2024 came on February 10.
NOT A ONE HIT WONDER
Enrique appears to have given up on Kolo Muani this season, giving him just two starts in the league before leaving him out of the squad entirely and making him available for transfer.
Anyone taking him will want to see the frontman who scored three times as France topped their Nations League A group – and who looked like one of the hottest talents in the world in 2022-2023.
Peters said: “In Frankfurt they know that the price they got for Muani was too high because PSG wanted him so badly.
“But they don't think he's a one-hit wonder.
“The Premier League, with the pace of the game and the importance of transitions, could be the perfect place for him.”
But even if Kolo Muani eventually scores past Villa goalkeeper Martinez, it will not make up for that World Cup final moment.
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