Spurs have signed a scary young talent who can end Kolo Muani’s stay

Tottenham Hotspur have some painful offensive teething problems under Thomas Frank. Everything is relative and there are variables at play, but the struggle to impress on the playing front is becoming an unwelcome narrative for the club this season.

But that aside, there’s also a feeling that scholarships may need to be withdrawn for a new centre-forward in 2026. There’s a sense that Richarlison’s days are numbered at number nine, and Dominic Solanke hasn’t fared very well since his £55 million move from Bournemouth last year, too often injured and too often unconvincing.

Both strikers are 28 years old and, although service has proven thin in recent months, Tottenham will need to consider their options in January.

There is of course another solution. Randal Kolo Muani appears to have replaced Richarlison as Frank’s first-choice frontman, having started two consecutive Premier League games.

But, unless a formula is found to support him, the Frenchman’s season-long loan will be unforgettable.

Randal Kolo Muani’s opportunity to shine

Tottenham have more than their share of problems at the moment. That’s an interesting question. They are more stable with Frank at the helm, competitive at the top of the Premier League and unbeaten on their return to the Champions League, after three games.

But we can’t ignore the depletion of creativity that has left things rather pedestrian, and even with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski sidelined since the start of the campaign and nowhere near returning, there is plenty to improve on the N17.

Kolo Muani has neither scored nor assisted in his six outings in a Spurs shirt so far, and the 26-year-old may well be feeling somewhat aggrieved by the lack of service thrown at him against Chelsea, taking just 16 touches in 76 minutes of action, creating one chance and getting stuck but failing to unleash a single shot (according to Sofascore).

A content creator recognized the Blues star for his exciting and progressive efforts when on the ball. However, as noted, such efforts were rare and he said “it must be absolutely horrible to play up front for this team”.

Tottenham do not create enough chances, which hinders Kolo Muani in his desire to start in white. However, given that he is only here for the season, it is unlikely that a permanent deal will be explored if things continue this way.

Especially when the Lilywhites have an exciting newcomer heading into the box.

The Spurs talent that could end Kolo Muani’s stay

Tottenham have long had one of the most efficient production lines in Europe, and Mason Melia is set to become the latest in that long line of prospects.

However, although the journey from youth to professional football is long and fraught with pitfalls, Melia is seen as a rising star with the potential to carve out a place under Frank’s wing, with Connor O’Neill of The Athletic saying he is “by far the best young talent I have seen in the League of Ireland”.

The 18-year-old striker has already made 98 senior appearances for St. Patrick’s Athletic, scoring 25 goals and registering eight assists. During the 2024/25 campaign, he registered 14 goals and four assists. As a Republic of Ireland U21 international, he has scored three goals in just four caps so far.

Both confident in front of goal and athletic enough to penetrate the danger zone himself, without relying on his creative teammates, Melia could provide a tonic to Spurs’ current tactical pecadillos, who lack them in attack.

He’s very young, of course, and can hardly be expected to hit the ground running and prove an instant improvement over an established European star like Kolo Muani, but Harry Kane has proven in the past that a young striker has a chance of succeeding where his senior peers fail.

Tottenham signed the teenager earlier in 2025 for a record fee of £3million, making him the most expensive footballer to leave Ireland’s top flight. However, he is yet to wear a Spurs jersey in a professional capacity, having agreed to leave his homeland in January 2026.

St. Pat’s Young Player of the Year last season, he is widely regarded as one of the most exciting talents in Irish football, with his touch, speed and awareness in the final third suggesting he has the look of a Premier League-level striker.

Given the lack of reliable options in the final third at Tottenham at the moment, and with Richarlison among those expected to leave next year, Melia could find himself fast-tracked under Frank’s wing, earning regular opportunities in the first team and potentially even surpassing someone like Kolo Muani, who must continue to adapt to the English game himself.

Tottenham may have to play the waiting game for now, but with Melia’s arrival just a few months away, they could find themselves earning a raft of opportunities before the end of the campaign.

And if he impresses as if the talent suggests it, it’s hardly out of the question to imagine that Melia could be in the lead in the not too distant future.