Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Man Utd target set for extremely awkward Prem encounter after revealing ‘hate’ for future opponent

Randal Kolo Muani and Julian Brandt

Randal Kolo Muani will have an incredibly interesting Premier League experience if he joins Manchester United this summer after naming a star playing in England that he ‘hates’.

Kolo Muani was on Nantes’ books between 2015 and 2022. Either side of a loan spell at French minnows US Boulogne, the striker bagged 23 goals in 87 matches for Nantes’ first team.

Kolo Muani took a big next step in his career when leaving Nantes for Eintracht Frankfurt last summer. Frankfurt snapped him up on a free transfer after he had run down his Nantes contract.

That move has proven to be a transfer masterstroke from the German Bundesliga side. Kolo Muani has done very well so far, registering 16 goals and 14 assists in 35 appearances.

That includes league goals against Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, as well as Champions League strikes versus Marseille and Sporting Lisbon.

Kolo Muani has not just enjoyed himself with Frankfurt, but he has also become a part of the France national team. He has won five caps under manager Didier Deschamps so far, three of which came at the Qatar World Cup.

READ MORE: Man Utd on verge of signing after breezing past Chelsea with ‘breakthrough’ in negotiations

The forward’s success with both Frankfurt and France have led to rumours he could move to England. His price tag has been put at an eye-watering £105million, but that does not seem to be putting Man Utd off. They will swoop in for Kolo Muani if Napoli reject their advances for Victor Osimhen.

And Kolo Muani, 24, recently hinted he could leave Frankfurt by saying he ‘always dreamed of playing in big clubs’.

Man Utd, Villa game could get interesting

But should Kolo Muani move to Old Trafford, he will have a rather awkward encounter with Argentina and Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez.

The shot-stopper pulled off a crucial save to deny Kolo Muani in the World Cup final between France and Argentina. The save was hugely impressive given the fact Kolo Muani had no defenders around him and the shot happened in the final moments of extra time.

But Martinez saved it and this took the final to penalties, which Argentina won 4-2.

Kolo Muani has now reflected on his miss, going on to admit that he feels ‘hate’ towards Martinez. This could set up an enthralling clash between the two stars if Kolo Muani joins Man Utd ahead of next season.

“It could have changed my life. I would have preferred to leave it in the background, like everyone else, like all the French, but it happened and these are the whims of life,” Kolo Muani said (via Mundo Deportivo). “I keep looking at the play and I see that I have a lot of chances to score, but everything was going too quickly on the field.

“I think I could have looked for other solutions, chipping it or finding Kylian (Mbappe) because he was at a good angle, but at the moment I didn’t see it, because the ball arrives and I’m focused on the goal, I don’t see Kylian. It’s later, when you see the play, that you realise the other options. But it’s too late, you can’t do anything.

“I want to keep going because it’s part of my job. It’s not that I’m sad, but I’m never going to forget it… We were very close to bringing back the third star. I’m not going to lie, I hate him.”

Kolo Muani is not the only Frenchman to dislike Martinez. The Villa ace received criticism after performing a lewd gesture when receiving the Golden Glove award. He was also accused of mocking Mbappe during Argentina’s World Cup celebrations.

Meanwhile, Thursday’s Euro Paper Talk includes Man Utd being tipped to capture a former Manchester City player.