The Marcel Brands era at Everton will not be remembered with too much fondness by the Goodison Park faithful.
But, in the Dutchman’s defence, he spent much of his time on Merseyside operating with one hand tied firmly behind his back, Brands’ attempts at building a coherent and well-balanced Toffees roster impeded by Financial Fair Play concerns and a lack of long-term thinking from those above him.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Everton were ‘confident’ of tying up a deal for then-Porto forward Luis Diaz in the summer of 2021. A deal fell through, however, after the £200,000-a-week millstone that was James Rodriguez – a player who always felt like more of a Farhad Moshiri signing than a Brands one – decided against returning to Porto as part of the deal.
Diaz, only a couple of months later, put pen to paper with Everton’s bitter rivals Liverpool instead before immediately making mincemeat of Premier League defences.
With L’Equipe now reporting that Jurgen Klopp’s rapidly-declining Reds have made an enquiry for Randal Kolo Muani – identifying the France international as a signing capable of helping steer a potentially sinking ship into calmer waters – its tempting to wonder if Everton are about to encounter another ‘Luis Diaz situation’.
Liverpool eye Randal Kolo Muani
Everton, per Le10 Sport, showed an interest in Kolo Muani two years ago, when he was starting to make a name for himself at Nantes. At the time, Kolo Muani was valued at just £6 million, despite comparisons with fellow Paris-born frontman Kylian Mbappe.
Two years later, you could multiply that £6 million valuation by ten and still fail to afford Kolo Muani’s left leg. According to Sky Germany, the 24-year-old’s market value has risen by a staggering £80 million after just over half-a-season at Eintracht Frankfurt. Then again, a tally of 14 goals and 14 assists from just 28 games will do that.
“For the Bundesliga, Kolo Muani is a major asset. He is impressive in his action, full of composure when facing the opposing goal, and often has the last word in duels,” Bayern Munich legend and Ballon D’Or winner Lothar Matheus tells Sky of arguably the most inspired signing in recent German football history.
“Where he impresses the most is that he shines in every game. This is the mark of future greats.”
The finishing of Haaland and the creativity of Kane
‘Future great’ or not, Kolo Muani’s current form is pretty ‘great’ in itself. There is arguably not a more complete young centre-forward in the game right now. Think the predatory instincts of Erling Haaland combined with the creativity and link play of a young Harry Kane.
According to RMC Sport, Everton made contact with Kolo Muani shortly after he returned from Qatar; the World Cup runner-up seemingly retaining a place on the Toffees’ radar.
But not only does he appear to be well beyond the financial means of an Everton side faving Financial Fair Play pressures, Kolo Muani’s ‘destiny’, to quote RMC, ‘should be at a more upscale club’.
His future lies not in a relegation battle, nor in mid-table either, but in the very highest echelons of European football.
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