Randal Kolo Muani dug out by new manager just weeks after £32million transfer

Randal Kolo Muani has been openly criticised by Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti after just one game of the new season.

Spalletti called out Kolo Muani for thinking he is playing at ‘an exceptional level’ when the boss believes that isn’t the case.

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The French striker, who spent last season on loan at Tottenham, had three shots in Juve‘s 1-0 win over Frosinone on Sunday.

But he missed one big chance and only hit the target once, also committing two fouls and completing 58 per cent of his passes.

And his performance hasn’t pleased Spalletti, who wasted no time in digging out his new forward.

The Italian also suggested another striker would come in this summer to provide competition for Kolo Muani.

What did Spalletti say about Kolo Muani?

“We went out and got him, we nurtured him, and we know his true worth,” Spalletti said on Kolo Muani to DAZN.

“But he needs to realise that he hasn’t played for two years – and there’s a reason for that.

“Sometimes you think you’re at an exceptional level, but in reality, you’ve left something behind and need to go back and reclaim it.”

The Juve manager added: “He knows how to hold up the ball and find space, and he is physically strong…

“But these are matches where he needs to deliver goals. The spaces were all there for him to exploit.”

“We are also looking for someone with different characteristics,” Spalletti went on to reveal, hinting at another striker coming in to potentially challenge Kolo Muani for a starting spot.

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Kolo Muani’s recent struggles

Kolo Muani joined the Italian giants earlier this month, signing for the club from Paris Saint-Germain for £32.4million.

Spalletti clearly thinks Kolo Muani has to up his game if he wants to succeed at Juventus following a rough couple of years.

He had not played a game for PSG since December 2024 before his permanent exit from France this summer.

A loan spell at Juve in the first half of 2025 bought him some success though, as he scored eight goals in 16 Serie A appearances.

However, after joining Tottenham on loan last year, his goals dried up, with Kolo Muani scoring just five times in 41 games.

Only one of his goals came in the Premier League as he struggled to make an impact for relegation-threatened Spurs.

Now, Juve have signed him for a second time, hoping that he can recapture his form from his previous stint.

But it seems he’s not made the most impressive start, with Spalletti desperate to see some more from the 27-year-old.