Paris Saint-Germain’s 1-1 draw against OGC Nice last weekend sums up Randal Kolo Muani’s (25) time with Les Parisiens. Given a rare chance to impress from the start, he squandered it, looking completely disconnected from his teammates, peripheral, and clumsy.
With PSG 1-0 down, he didn’t re-emerge for the second half. Replaced by Kang-in Lee at the break, Les Parisiens looked all the better for it and returned from the Allianz Riviera with a point. “I could have made five substitutions at half-time but I decided to make just one,” said Luis Enrique post-match.
It was predictable that that one change would be Kolo Muani. It is in line with his treatment since joining PSG. Whilst Luis Enrique refuses to publically criticise the former FC Nantes forward, actions speak louder than words. “I think that you’ll see a better version of Kolo Muani and when he is at his best, he is a very high-level player,” said the PSG manager earlier this season.
Luis Enrique has his doubts
But that level is yet to be extracted and Kolo Muani’s frequent omission from the starting XI, despite the injury to Goncalo Ramos speaks volumes. Despite his public discourse, he has not earned the trust of his manager, who according to reports, doubts that he has the technical ability to play as the kind of No.9 that he wants to deploy.
L’Équipe understands that, whilst Luis Enrique isn’t looking to push Kolo Muani out of PSG, his future at the club is uncertain. However, with Les Parisiens unwilling to take a big hit on the €90m that they invested in the summer of 2023, interested parties may be deterred.
For now, Kolo Muani remains on the periphery at PSG and he has a lot of convincing to do if he is to earn a regular spot in Luis Enrique’s side. Unlike at club level, the former Eintracht Frankfurt forward has the trust of his manager at international level.
Amid criticism, Didier Deschamps has always been Kolo Muani’s No.1 defender, insisting that journalists and pundits are “too hard” on him. His defence of the forward is reflected in his actions. Despite difficulties at club level, Kolo Muani remains a mainstay in the France set-up and it was he who scored Les Bleus’ only goal from open play at the Euros in the summer.
Kolo Muani frequently repays Deschamps’ faith, who believes that his forward is maybe more at ease when with the international set-up. “He has a situation that isn’t ideal with his club. It isn’t easy. He is almost certainly not in the same psychological state as when he is with us,” said Deschamps.
For Kolo Muani, France has represented a welcome distraction over the past year. However, played as a No.9 against Israel, he failed to perform. He looked more like the Kolo Muani that we see too often at PSG: disconnected from his teammates, peripheral, and clumsy. He made just 27 touches, was ineffective and lost the ball on nine occasions.
Nkunku and Olise pose Kolo Muani threat
Perhaps Deschamps, like Luis Enrique, will come to the conclusion that Kolo Muani can not play as a typical No.9, whilst the efficiency of the returning Christopher Nkunku also provided food for thought for the France manager. The Chelsea forward certainly staked his claim for more minutes, which would force Kolo Muani further down the pecking order.
He will perhaps have more joy trying to slot in on the right, however, there he has club teammate Ousmane Dembélé to contend with. In the absence of Kylian Mbappé and the retired Antoine Griezmann, Dembélé is the most capped player in Les Bleus’ squad for this international camp. He is clearly a player that he trusts, whilst, against Israel, rising star Michael Olise was also trialled in that position.
There are worrying developments for Kolo Muani at international level, which could see him demoted to a similar position to the one that he occupies at club level – a position on the bench, or worse, out of the squad entirely. A return to form for PSG would certainly change that, although for now, that does not look forthcoming. For club and country, Kolo Muani’s future looks uncertain.
