Newcastle United and West Ham battle to land 27-time France international as January loan move ‘sanctioned’

West Ham have joined Newcastle United in the race to sign highly-rated French international striker Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint Germain in January.

Football Transfers understands that the French champions are willing to sanction a loan move for the 25-year-old forward, who they spent an eyewatering £76.4m on signing just 18 months ago. Kolo Muani, who came through the Nantes youth academy, rose to prominence during the 2020/21 season when he helped the team secure safety with nine goals in 32 matches - including a winner in a relegation play-off match with Ligue 2 side Toulouse.

The following year, he registered a further 13 goals in 41 appearances across all competitions and notably formed part of the team which won the French Cup for the first time in 22 years. This form prompted Europa League holders Eintracht Frankfurt to snap up the striker on a free transfer - and he proved to be an instant hit at Deutsche Bank Park, scoring 23 goals in 46 appearances while helping the team reach the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time.

His league tally of 15 goals and 11 assists made him the league’s third highest goalscorer and second highest assist maker, and quickly made him a major asset at international level.

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Kolo Muani also enjoyed a breakout World Cup tournament for France midway through his final season at Eintranct Frankfurt and formed part of the team which reached the World Cup final. The forward notably became the third fastest substitute in history to score at a World Cup when he came off the bench to score against Morocco in the semi-final. He was also hugely influential from the subs bench against Argentina in the final and assisted one of Kylian Mbappe’s goals in thrilling 3-3 draw which eventually saw Argentina triumph on penalties.

Kolo Muani’s form earned him a blockbuster £76.4m move to Paris Saint Germain, making him the third most expensive departure in Bundesliga history. However, the 25-year-old has struggled to establish himself as a regular in the French capital. In his first term, he registered 12 goals and four assists in 44 appearances during his first season in the capital but the bulk of his appearances came from the subs bench as he played second fiddle to Kylian Mbappe and Goncalo Ramos.

After Mbappe’s exit and Ramos’ injury issues, it was expected that Kolo Muani would shine in his second season, but he remains a bit-part player under Luis Enrique and is not thought to be part of the Spaniard's long-term plans.

Over the course of this campaign, he has made just 12 appearances and just two starts across all competitions and has scored two goals, with Marcos Asensio often playing as a false nine ahead of him.

Football Transfers claims that Kolo Muani does not fit Enrique’s style of play, fuelling reports that Premier League side’s Newcastle and West Ham could look to loan the player, with a potential option to buy in the summer.