Man Utd face paying over £53m for Kolo Muani as ‘two rivals’ mentioned

ten Hag comments on Man Utd's January transfer plans

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Manchester United could be forced to shell out a big-money fee in exchange for the services of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani, with two other clubs reportedly keen on snapping him up before the end of this month. The Red Devils are thought to be in the market for a new forward this January, with Erik ten Hag eager to find a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo following his departure in November.

The likes of Joao Felix and Marcus Thuram have been linked with United over the last few weeks, with a number of high-profile names said to be under consideration behind closed doors at Old Trafford. Kolo Muani is also believed to have emerged as a target since impressing at the World Cup with France, although it seems likely that United will need to loosen their purse strings in order to stand any chance of getting a deal done.

Frankfurt have decided to increase Kolo Muani’s valuation by almost £9million off the back of his showings in Qatar, according to RMC Sport, which means that a transfer fee in the region of £53m will be required for him to leave the club this month. However, this figure could rise even higher if United are joined in the race for his signature by Tottenham and Liverpool, who enquired about his availability prior to the World Cup.

Kolo Muani’s price tag may also be influenced by Frankfurt’s desire to keep him on their books until the end of the season, given that he only joined them on a free transfer from Nantes last summer. The 24-year-old has been in stunning form at club level over the course of the campaign to date, chipping in with eight goals and 11 assists in all competitions, and is believed to be open to the idea of staying for at least another six months.

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It remains to be seen whether United will eventually be able to bring Kolo Muani to Old Trafford or if they will opt to pursue their other targets between now and the end of the January window. They could also find themselves being priced out of a loan move for Atletico Madrid marksman Felix, with the Spanish giants looking for around £18.6m to let him leave until the end of the campaign, according to The Athletic.

This figure includes a loan fee of around £13.3m, while the rest of the money will go towards paying the striker’s wages throughout the second half of the season. Any deal that United strike this month will need to make sense on a financial level as well as on the pitch, with Ten Hag insisting that he will only push ahead for signings if the opportunities are right for the club as a whole.

“It is always difficult,” said the United boss earlier this month. “Strikers are expensive and especially in the winter, you have to set the limits high and we are looking for it, so maybe we have to be creative.

“But we do everything that we have in our power to get it done and get the right player in who fits the balance of the frontlines. I don’t think you can judge that and rate it because it is about timing, it is about availability, it is about so many circumstances playing a role.”

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