5 reasons why Premier League clubs should sign Randal Kolo Muani | OneFootball

The Bundesliga has long been a hotbed of talent, which Premier League clubs and their huge finances have often benefitted from.

Some of the best players currently playing in the English top flight initially shone in Germany before moving to England - think Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan at Manchester City, or Son Heung-min at Tottenham.

And Randal Kolo Muani could be the next player to make a lucrative move to these shores, thanks to his fantastic performances for Eintracht Frankfurt.

Here, we run you through five reasons why English clubs should be looking to sign the 24-year-old in the summer.

Transfermarkt to ensure consistency.

1. Goals

As a striker, this is the minimum requirement, and Kolo Muani has shown this year that he knows where the back of the net is. 12 goals in 36 Ligue 1 games last time out was a good return, and he has scored at a higher rate in Germany, too.

The forward bagged twice during Frankfurt's 3-0 win over Hertha Berlin at the start of February, which took his tally to nine goals in 18 Bundesliga games. He also netted twice in six Champions League outings, and once in two DFB-Pokal games.

Unsurprisingly, he is his side's leading goalscorer this term and is getting increasingly prolific.

2. Assists

Scoring is one thing, but it helps to combine that with being a team player. In fact, a lack of goals can sometimes be compensated with numerous assists. Roberto Firmino, for example, was never the most prolific striker in the Premier League, but his ability to link up Liverpool's forward line and provide for his teammates made him undroppable during the Reds' most significant successes.

Kolo Muani is arguably even better at creating chances than scoring them. He had 12 assists by February 5th, which puts him clear at the top of the Bundesliga's charts.

His clever running and impressive vision mean the likes of Daichi Kamada and Jesper Lindstrom have also regularly got themselves on the scoresheet this term.

3. A man for the big occasion

Entire reputations can be forged on the biggest stages, and Kolo Muani has already shown his ability to perform against the biggest sides at the highest level.

For Frankfurt this season, he has stepped up when it matters. Die Adler needed to beat Marseille and Sporting Lisbon in their final two Champions League matches to progress to the knockout stages, and the Frenchman scored the winner on both occasions. He also recently netted an equaliser in injury time versus Bayern Munich to earn a point for his side.

Perhaps most impressively, his introduction at half-time during the World Cup final against Argentina helped Les Bleus back into the game - Kolo Muani won the first France penalty, which Kylian Mbappe converted to half the deficit and, while Emiliano Martinez made a barely-believable stop to deny him in the final minute of extra-time, the centre-forward displayed nerves of steel to score from 12 yards in the shootout. He also scored in the semi-final victory over Morocco.

4. Pace to burn

Physical attributes are particularly important in the Premier League, and that is another area in which Kolo Muani excels.

The Bundesliga keeps extensive records of the speeds clocked up by players throughout the campaign, and Lindstrom is the only Frankfurt player to run faster than Kolo Muani this season (35.73 km/h to 34.9 km/h).

That pace has been a massive weapon for Frankfurt, who have often looked to exploit that Kolo Muani ability by playing the ball in behind for their star man to run on to.

5. Versatility

Kolo Muani's tendency to create plenty of chances for his teammates perhaps comes from his early days in professional football, particularly U.S. Boulogne.

It was there, on loan, that he first indicated he could be a real threat for Nantes, his parent club. Yet it was on the wing that he impressed, rather than as a focal point up top.

While he has been Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner's first-choice striker this season, he has occasionally been used on the flanks, and it was on the right of the front three that he made an impact against Argentina for his country.