Man United target Randal Kolo Muani set to join Juventus on loan | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani is set to join Juventus on loan for the remainder of the season despite interest in the French international from Manchester United, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

The Italian transfer guru has given his trademark ‘Here we go’ to Kolo Muani’s prospective loan move to the Old Lady, bringing an end to a race for the 26-year-old’s signature amongst some of Europe’s top clubs.

United and Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur had been strongly linked with Kolo Muani, who failed to settle in Paris following his £76.4 million move from Eintracht Frankfurt two years ago.

PSG manager Luis Enqriue had made it clear the French forward was not in his plans at the Parc des Princes but the Ligue 1 champions had been hoping to agree a loan move which included an obligation to buy clause.

However, Romano reveals, Juventus’ offer is a straight loan with “no buy option clause”, representing a coup for the Italian club ahead of their English competitors.

Tweet: “Randal Kolo Muani to Juventus, here we go! Deal in place on loan until June from PSG and NO buy option clause. Kolo Muani has accepted the proposal and will fly to Turin this week for medical tests. Agreement sealed.”

The Red Devils hold a long-term interest in Kolo Muani after having scouted him heavily in 2023 before he ultimately moved to PSG.

United settled on Rasmus Hojlund as their number one target for the centre-forward position in that summer window, but Kolo Muani was believed to have been the second option on the club’s transfer list.

And it appears Old Trafford officials were ready to revisit a move for the Frenchman this window with David Ornstein revealing the club were “actively exploring” a loan deal in the January window.

United’s struggles in front of goal have been well documented this season while the prospect of Marcus Rashford’s departure this month will have strengthened the desire for reinforcements in Ruben Amorim’s attacking unit.

The club would likely have needed a deal for Rashford to leave on loan to have been agreed before a pursuit of Kolo Muani could have been escalated, however.

It appears this uncertainty has allowed Juventus to steal a march on a long-term target for the Reds in a position of need. And it could also have potential ramifications for another forward at Old Trafford – Joshua Zirkzee.

The Dutch international had been strongly linked with a move to Juventus to reunite with former manager Thiago Motta, though noises from Zirkzee’s camp suggest he is keen to prove himself at United, boosted by a triumphant decisive penalty in the shoot out win over Arsenal in the FA Cup last weekend.

Regardless, United will need to demonstrate a more decisive approach for the remainder of the January window than they have in the pursuit of Kolo Muani, as there are a number of positions which require upgrading in the first-team squad and only a limited amount of viable options to fill them.

Feature image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images

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