We aim to pick out players and cut through the noise to give analytical, objective insight with the latest focus on Eintracht Frankurt's Randal Kolo Muani.
- Age: 24
- Position: Centre-forward
- Club: Eintracht Frankfurt
- Country: France
With the arrival of Wout Weghorst at Old Trafford yet to bring a single league goal for the Dutchman, Manchester United's search for a proper Cristiano Ronaldo replacement looks set to continue, with French hotshot Randal Kolo Muani reportedly in Erik ten Hag's sights.
The young striker has been something of a revelation in this season's Bundesliga, leading the assist charts with 10 while also chipping in with a healthy 11 goals as his club push for back-to-back Champions League qualifications.
Kolo Muani has been a mainstay of Oliver Glasner's side, missing just one league game - with his goal contribution stats displaying just why the Bondy native is so useful.
The 24-year-old is among the division's most potent attacking threats and we can measure this through the npxG+xA metric.
A simple calculation, it combines a player's non-penalty expected goals (npxG) with expected assists (xA) - and Kolo Muani's figures put him in elite company.
Only three players have performed better than his tally of 12.4, and he outranks one of the Bundesliga's most talked-about talents in Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala (11.8).
And if we break down this creative ability, pinning down Kolo Muani's most potent weapon becomes relatively easy.
No player has successfully taken on more players - with a successful take-on being one that leads to a shot. The France international has beaten his man in this manner 17 times, with a goal being scored on three of those occasions.
But he is no one-trick pony; he also ranks third in terms of goals created by live-ball passes (as opposed to passes from dead-ball situations) and has twice drawn fouls that have led to his team scoring.
In summary, the rate at which he both finds the net and lays on chances for his teammates, combined with the range of routes he can take to set up goals and, of course, his youth, would make him a savvy pick for Manchester United as they look to add a killer striker to their line-up.
