Randal Kolo Muani has been linked to Crystal Palace, but it feels like PSG manipulating Juventus and forcing their hand.
A report from Foot Mercato has shed light on Randal Kolo Muani’s position at Paris Saint Germain, as the striker faces a complex Summer window. PSG are, according to the report, keen to offload Kolo Muani and whilst an agreement with Juventus seemed to be on the cards, the Italian side have stalled in recent weeks.
This has seen PSG open the door to other potential suitors, and Crystal Palace’s name has been thrown into the ring.
The hope had been that Spurs would sign him on a permanent deal, but his struggle for form in North London wrote that possibility off, and as the Parisians grow impatient with Juventus, they have made Kolo Muani available to other European clubs.
Where Palace’s name comes into this however, is somewhat of a mystery.
The bait has been cast
Like in many transfer sagas, it’s the selling club that is clearly pushing the narrative on this one, as they attempt to force the striker out of the club. Kolo Muani has reportedly been ‘offered’ to a number of clubs around Europe, including Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund and Palace.
By the sounds of it, this is PSG making a last play to try and draw Juve into triggering the £40m fee which the two clubs initially agreed on in June.
Kolo Muani is a player who has struggled for form and consistency since his £95m move from Eintracht Frankfurt to Paris. He’s a player who has always been held in high regard though, and since his move to the French capital, has spent time on loan in Turin and most recently with Tottenham Hotspur.
Quite simply, he’s too good for Palace, and the links are likely therefore nothing but bait for Juventus.
How could he work at Palace?
Would Kolo Muani be a good signing for Palace? Of course. He’d likely require a fee in the region of £35-£40m, which would not be possible for Pierre Sage’s side unless they make a sale prior.
His talent would certainly fit Palace’s system and Sage’s style of play, but a player of this calibre rarely takes a move to a smaller European club after bouncing around some of the continent’s biggest establishments.
For the player, a move to a smaller side where he can actually play football would be sensible, but he currently earns around £150,000 a week, and would instantly become one of the club’s highest earners.
After one scintillating campaign in Frankfurt, where Kolo Muani scored 23 goals and assisted 14, he’s scored just 17 across the last three seasons combined.
His form at Spurs was poor, but that was in a Spurs side which had a generationally shocking season, plagued by injury and lacking any form of cohesion and confidence. Kolo Muani did show what he’s capable of in flashes, and at 27, he’s still got a good amount to offer.
Palace would certainly have to sell in order to offload a fee in the region required and still remain clear of the SCR guidelines, but as the original report mentions, this is likely just PSG attempting to pressure Juventus into biting the bullet.
