Manchester United could replace Marcus Rashford with a player who has been compared to Thierry Henry.
Rashford, 27, currently has representatives in Italy trying to broker a move to one of the Serie A giants in AC Milan. While all eyes are on the United Academy product, not as much attention has been paid to who could be coming the other way.
In recent weeks, Ruben Amorim's side have been linked with a transfer for Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani. The striker has had a difficult time in the French capital since his £76.4million move from Eintracht Frankfurt.
The 26-year-old, whose introduction off the bench inspired France's comeback in the 2022 World Cup final, has also been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus. Given his attributes as a 6ft 4in player who has transformed into a central striker and, like Arsenal legend Henry, is known for his dribbling ability, it seems he would be a great fit for United.
According to NBC Sports, Kolo Muani will be high on the list if Amorim calls for a replacement for Rashford. In the striker's only full season in Frankfurt, Kolo Muani contributed an impressive 15 goals and 14 assists in 32 Bundesliga appearances. As impressive as his goals and assists were, his versatility and ability to perform through the middle and on either flank made him an incredibly useful player.
While his performances in Germany earned him admiring glances, he made his presence known at the World Cup final. Introduced before half-time for Olivier Giroud, he immediately lifted the French with his energy and aggressive forward runs.
He won France's first penalty when he chased down a loose pass and collected the ball from Nicolas Otamendi, who then brought it down in the penalty area to give Kylian Mbappe the chance to halve the deficit. In the final seconds of extra time, Kolo Muani thought he had won the World Cup, but a legendary save from Emiliano Martinez sent the match into a penalty shoot-out. While on the losing side, Kolo Muani was one of only two French players to score their penalty.
His time at PSG was difficult to say the least. He arrived in Qatar nine months after his appearances and was rewarded with a new look from PSG that was reinforced by fifteen other arrivals.
He competed for a place in the front line with fellow newcomers Goncalo Ramos and Ousmane Dembele and then-captain Mbappé. In 54 appearances, he managed just eleven goals and seven assists for the French giants. Nevertheless, he is still young and previous comments about his play suggest he is fit for the Premier League.
Given Amorim's preference for a 3-4-3, the most likely position for him would be a center position. There would be competition with Rasmus Hojlund for the number 9 spot, but while the Dane's hard work and determination have endeared him to the fans, there is a growing feeling that he is not the one to drag United forward.
As he proved in the World Cup final, Muani has the ability and speed of mind to lead United's attack from the front. His goalscoring record is also greater than that of Hojlund, who is rawer and less experienced than the Frenchman.
Bruno Fernandes appears to be the first name on the team sheet as he lines up on the inside left, while Amad Diallo has made the right wing his own. But if an attacking midfielder is injured or out of form, Muani has experience playing on both wings and would be a great addition to Hojlund.
United have struggled to score goals all season, not just with Amorim but also with former boss Erik ten Hag. Given Amorim's perceived lack of options, Kolo Muani's flexibility would be a huge advantage for the Portuguese boss.
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