Newcastle are poised to rival Manchester United and Chelsea for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani this summer, according to reports.
It’s no secret that Eddie Howe is looking to add some ‘elite’ players to his squad. Now, the Magpies boss could push to sign the France international.
Muani certainly has the potential to be a top Premier League centre-forward. So, it will be interesting to see if Newcastle win the race for his signature.
This season, the Frankfurt star has scored an impressive 15 goals in 32 Bundesliga appearances, as well as contributing 14 assists. This gives him an outstanding average of 0.91 goal contributions per game.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise to see several top European clubs interested in Muani.
Indeed, as noted by TEAMtalk, Man Utd and Chelsea hold a firm interest in the striker, while Paris Saint Germain and Bayern Munich are also in the race.
In fact, Bayern are reportedly prepared to pay £100m for Muani this summer. So, any other potential suitors will have to match that fee to have any chance of signing the Frenchman.
READ MORE: Newcastle stun Man Utd after £43m hijack gathers pace despite everything being ‘done’
Newcastle send scouts to watch Muani
However, according to TuttoMercatoWeb, Newcastle sent scouts to watch Muani play for Frankfurt against Freiburg on Saturday.
The 24-year-old scored as Frankfurt won 2-1. His team secured a seventh-place finish – narrowly missing out on European football on goal difference.
Muani’s deal at the German club is valid until 2027. But, it is believed that Muani is keen on a fresh challenge elsewhere, with a departure looking likely.
Now, Newcastle could potentially rival Bayern, Man Utd and Chelsea. But, as mentioned, any deal for the striker would not come cheap.
If the Magpies do match Bayern’s pending £100m bid for Muani – he would become Newcastle’s new record signing. In fact, that would be even more than the cost of Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak combined at £40m and £58m respectively.
But, with Newcastle set to be playing Champions League football for the first time since 2003, they need to sign players with the ability to perform at the highest level.
This season, Muani has gained a reputation as one of the most exciting young attackers in Europe. So, bringing him in would certainly be a step in the right direction.
He is versatile, too, with the ability to play as a centre-forward or as a winger on either flank. Therefore, he could provide cover in several areas for Howe next season.
With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if Newcastle do make a concrete offer for Muani this summer.
