Arsenal have been presented with the opportunity to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani during the January transfer window, according to The Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel.
Kolo Muani is considered surplus to requirements at PSG after slipping down Luis Enrique’s pecking order. He has made just two starts in 10 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring twice and providing one assist.
The French forward joined PSG from Eintracht Frankfurt in September 2023 for a significant £77 million. This hefty price tag has put pressure on the 26-year-old, who is expected to leave the club either in January or next summer.
Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Kolo Muani, but they have yet to make a decision about a potential move. He still has three years left on his contract with PSG.
| Randal Kolo Muani PSG Stats 2024-25 (Ligue 1) | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 10 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 4.67 |
| Shots Per Game | 1.6 |
| Big Chances Missed | 7 |
| Big Chances Created | 2 |
| Key Passes | 0.5 |
| Successful Dribbles | 0.7 (50%) |
| Ground Duels Won | 1.8 (41%) |
| Aerial Duels Won | 0.9 (75%) |
Kolo Muani could help Arsenal deal with Bukayo Saka’s Injury
Mokbel reports that Mikel Arteta is urgently seeking to add an attacker this January. With Arsenal chasing Liverpool at the top of the Premier League, more attacking options are needed, especially now that Bukayo Saka could be sidelined for up to four months.
Gabriel Jesus has found form with consistent goalscoring during the winter, but he can’t be expected to carry the responsibility of being the club’s only main striker.
Kolo Muani could rotate with Jesus to share the duties of leading the attack for Arsenal across all competitions.
Kolo Muani is also capable of playing on the right wing, which would help Arteta manage Saka’s absence. It’s easy to forget how prolific the 27-cap France international was at Eintracht Frankfurt, where he scored 26 goals and provided 17 assists in 50 games.
Although PSG’s asking price for Kolo Muani isn’t specified, it’s likely to be high, given the significant sum the club paid for him two years ago.
A loan deal might be a more attractive option for Arsenal, as it would allow them to strengthen other areas of the squad as well. They are also keeping an eye on Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell.
Arsenal aren’t the only club exploring an exit route for Kolo Muani from Paris. North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested, and both Manchester United and Liverpool have also been monitoring the situation.
Kai Havertz was put in car and told ‘go home’ before Arsenal win over Brentford
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shared that a sickness bug disrupted his team’s preparations ahead of their 3-1 win over Brentford, which saw Kai Havertz sent home due to illness.
The Gunners’ victory at the Gtech Community Stadium lifted them to second place in the Premier League, closing the gap with leaders Liverpool and keeping their title hopes alive.
Arteta revealed that several players were struck by the virus before the match, with Havertz sent home because of noticeable symptoms. Declan Rice was also unexpectedly placed on the bench to start.
There were rumors that captain Martin Odegaard was affected as well, but he managed to play the full match before being substituted in the second half.
“It affected players on the pitch and off the pitch,” Arteta commented on the impact of the illness. “It is nothing serious. But it wasn’t the ideal situation.
“In relation to the symptoms, with Kai it was obvious. He wasn’t feeling well at all. He had very clear symptoms so stay away from it, put him in a car, and go back to London.”
The Arsenal manager added: “These things happen. In this period, there are always things thrown at you, infections, viruses, so I try to delay the line-up as late as possible because you can get up in the morning and unfortunately have a surprise like this.”
With optimism that the virus will ease before Saturday’s match against Brighton, Arteta is confronted with another setback as key player Bukayo Saka is out for two months.
Arteta was in high spirits after his team’s comeback from a goal down to secure a dramatic win over Brentford, praising their composure and emotional resilience.
The match started poorly when Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo scored in the 13th minute, and Keane Lewis-Potter came close to doubling their lead with a weak shot, only for David Raya to make a crucial save on the line.
Reflecting on that moment, Arteta quipped: “Hopefully that the watch doesn’t vibrate.” Discussing the near-miss, he admitted: “It was an unusual action from David. But it happens and we were lucky that the goal didn’t go in because it could have changed the game.”
Mikel Merino shifted the momentum with a go-ahead goal in the 50th minute, and Gabriel Martinelli extended Arsenal’s advantage with a third goal, much to the excitement of the fans.
In addition, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri made an impact in his first Premier League start, playing a role in both goals.
Praising Nwaneri, Arteta remarked: “We went a goal down so it becomes a big mountain to climb, but the team showed composure and they were emotionally very calm. We deserved to win the game.”
The Arsenal boss also highlighted the squad’s resilience despite “a little issue” referring to a bug, and lauded Nwaneri’s courage and determination, saying: “In that position it wasn’t because of the bug but because he was the best player in that position to start the game.”
Arteta closed with a nod to history and good fortunes: “He made his debut here (against Brentford in 2023) and then today he made his full Premier League debut. Sometimes that feeling comes in and you feel it is the right one.”
Thomas Frank, the Bees manager, wasn’t discouraged despite Brentford lingering at 12th, asserting: “I go into every game and I believe we can win and the way the team played today they showed they believe, too.
“But we are competing against a team that is fighting for the title so it is not a massive surprise we lost today. Hopefully we can get better and improve and I am confident we will win games.”
