Tottenham were busy on deadline day with multiple last minute squad changes. Apart from the imminent outgoings of the out-of-favour wingers Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon, Spurs hierarchy were committed to bring in a Frank-approved attacker. With Man City unwilling to deal for Savinho, Spurs went another direction: PSG frontman Randal Kolo Muani. Here’s how he fits the Frank system.
Who is Randal Kolo Muani
You may have first glimpsed his talents in his early years at Nantes, racking up 21 goals and 8 assists between 2020-2022. Or maybe you witnessed his breakout season in the 22-23 campaign where he scored 15 league goals and 11 assists in only 32 Bundesliga matches with Eintracht Frankfurt. He was the talk of the town heading into the 2022 World Cup, receiving his French Call up to replace the injured Christopher Nkunku. He’ll always be remembered for what could have been against Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez, forcing a late save from the keeper to take the game to penalties.
Kolo Muani signed a deal with PSG the next season, but didn’t seem to mold with Luis Enrique’s attacking style. He only played in half his matches two years ago, and featured primarily off the bench last year, eventually being loaned to Italian giants, Juventus, for the remainder of the 24-25 campaign in January.
He’s got loads of experience and is right in his prime. Kolo Muani could be the difference maker in Tottenham's league hopes of competing for European football, and adding maybe another piece of coveted silverware.
Flexibility and Creativity
Muani’s main draw is his flexibility in the wide channels and his athleticism. Primarily touted for his mobility and killer instincts, he has a profile up top that Spurs could desperately use: speed.
First and foremost, he can play across the front three positions, which provides another couple of options for new manager, Thomas Frank. Most recently, he’s been utilized up top as a number 9. His striker profile is different than Richarlison or Solanke. He offers speed in the counter attack and is a more bold runner in the wide channels.
“I'm a player who fights for the badge”
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 1, 2025
Randal Kolo Muani speaks for the first time as a Spurs player 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/AHkuWEO5nb
At Brentford, Frank made multiple attackers superstars, all with similar profiles to Kolo Muani. Speed in the counter, strength on the ball, and direct finishing in the final third. Mbuemo, Wissa, Toney, Watkins: they all have similar traits to Kolo Muani by providing width and pace upfront, with truly devastating lethality on the counter.
But speed isn’t the only thing Kolo Muani offers. About 1/5 of his goals in first team football are headers. He has a strong knack for aerial duels and can compete for headers in the box with the likes of Solanke and Richarlison.
With attacking depth absolutely necessary to this Spurs side, Kolo Muani offers a profile up top that Spurs drastically need, all with plenty of experience at the highest level.
Integrating into Frank’s Tactics
Right now, Tottenham are looking to provide much needed depth to account for the fixtures on the calendar this season. With the demands of the Premier League and Champions League, Thomas Frank needs quality depth and competition.
Kolo Muani slots into Frank‘s tool-belt as a versatile, line breaking forward. Against more possession based teams they’ll face in the Champions League, like PSG on November 26th, Kolo Muani is a massive threat in transition. Solanke and Richarlison both offer more of a hold-up play style, while Kolo Muani can run in behind.
Also, he has a lot of experience out on the left. We know that Frank has played two strikers up top with both needing to hold width in transition. Wissa and Mbuemo were frequently deployed in this manner last year and both had excellent returns in the Premier League because of their speed and ability to widen the pitch.
That includes his ability to play out on the left in Frank’s 4-2-3-1 setup. While I don’t think it’s his strongest spot on the pitch, I do think in some games it’s a viable option. He is direct and likes to drift centrally, making way for overlapping runs with Udogie or Spence. This tactic would probably show up more towards lower level opponents who are looking to steal a win with a low block. Although, I think in a world where the whole squad remains healthy, I’d prefer Odobert on the left and Muani competing with Richarlison for the 9 spot.
Kolo Muani will be a Success if…
Kolo Muani will be a success if he’s the main man up top. I think in Spurs’ best lineup for most European opponents, Kolo Muani slots in the best. With fellow fenchmen Odobert and Tel filling in on the LW, Xavi and Kudus are excellent ball playing attackers. There could be some serious chemistry taking place up front. Line breaking runs are one of Kolo Muani’s specialities, and I think he fits best on paper with those star studded signings of this summer.
Personally, I think he’ll need time to adjust to life in England before being a regular, but if he can slot in and perform on the biggest stage of Europe, Spurs might be looking at prying him from PSG next summer.
