Man Utd face stiff competition for €100m target after Declan Rice development frustrates Ten Hag

Bayern Munich are set to rival Manchester United for the signature of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani, according to reports. 

The France international is one of Erik ten Hag’s top attacking targets, so it would be a blow for the Red Devils to miss out on him.

Muani has been in incredible form in the Bundesliga recently. So, it’s no surprise to see top European clubs battling to bring him in.

Man Utd had an excellent 2022/23 season. Along with winning the League Cup, they finished in third place in the Premier League table and will return to the Champions League next term.

Marcus Rashford was key to their success. The England international scored an impressive 30 goals across all competitions.

But, if Man Utd want to challenge for trophies consistently, Rashford could certainly do with some attacking support. As a result, Ten Hag has made a new striker one of his transfer priorities.

For instance, Harry Kane has been heavily linked with the Red Devils for some time.

But, with Real Madrid circling and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy notoriously difficult to negotiate with, they are considering other options.

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Bayern focus on Muani instead of Declan Rice

As mentioned, Muani has now emerged as one of Man Utd’s primary transfer targets.

In 2022/23, the 24-year-old made 32 Bundesliga appearances for Frankfurt. In the process, he scored 15 goals and made 14 assists. This gives him an outstanding average of 0.9 goal contributions per match.

A versatile player, Muani has the ability to play as a centre-forward or as a winger. So, he could provide cover in multiple positions for Ten Hag next term.

If Muani could have a similar impact at Man Utd, he could be the difference between winning trophies and not.

However, according to reputed journalist Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich are now ready to make a bid for Muani, after deciding against a move for Declan Rice.

On Twitter, Plettenberg wrote: “The main priority for the Bayern bosses is to find a striker now! Declan Rice was the hottest target for central midfield.

“But Bayern is out of the race for now as reported. Kolo Muani, one of the names that remains on Bayern‘s list.

“Instead, Frankfurt is not planning to extend his contract with a big salary increase – NOW. Frankfurt bosses will wait on further developments.”

Muani is a vital player for Frankfurt, but, they could be convinced to sell for the right price. Indeed, reports suggest that the German clubs have slapped a €100m (£85.5m) price tag on the forward.

So, it will be interesting to see if Man Utd or Bayern Munich match that fee in the coming weeks.

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