The ideal club for frustrated wonderkid Moukoko as January exit looms

Tom Weber

• Updated: 13 Dec 2023 09:37 GMT
• 4 min read

The news of Borussia Dortmund's interest in Serhou Guirassy could be the straw that breaks the camel's back for Youssoufa Moukoko.

The 19-year-old wonderkid is frustrated with his lack of minutes this season and rumours about a potential January exit have abounded. While some of the early reports appeared far-fetched, there is now a real chance that he will depart because if Dortmund really want to sign Guirassy, they will need to offload one of their strikers.

Moukoko, having featured in just 278 minutes this term, is a prime candidate to depart despite his sky-high potential. The German international has often been linked with a Premier League transfer and while an intra-Bundesliga loan appears the most realistic option at this stage - FC Köln have been linked - he could be on the move permanently.

The youngster saw plenty of playing time last term due to Sebastian Haller's fight with cancer and was ranked as the sixth-best striker in the Bundesliga by data experts SciSports, but it wasn't enough to convince Edin Terzic that he is ready to lead the line for a full season.

As FootballTransfers explained in October, the teenager would be a smart first signing by Sir Jim Ratcliffe for Man Utd in January. Using SciSports' Career Advice tool, we can see that the Red Devils would indeed be a good option, but there may be even better ones out there for him.

Who should Moukoko join?

Moukoko's reduction in playing time has seen a quite drastic decline in his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV), which has dropped from €35 million in March to €23m. This, in turn, opens up new possibilities as it enables more clubs to pursue a deal for him.

According to SciSports, Real Madrid are his best non-Dortmund option with a Club Fit rating of 81, though there would be questions over how he would fit into the system and, of course, he isn't quite the big, Erling Haaland-esque name that Los Blancos fans would expect their next No.9 to be.

Interestingly, besides the Spaniards, a string of Premier League clubs would be ideal for the youngster, with West Ham, Aston Villa, Fulham, Newcastle, Everton, Chelsea and Man Utd all boasting good ratings in the 70s and 80s. Playing time could be an issue at a club like United, but perhaps not for long as SciSports believes that Moukoko has a higher potential than Rasmus Hojlund.

Liverpool, who hold a long-standing interest in the Dortmund golden boy, also have a rating in the 70s. It is important to remember, however, that the striker is desperate for minutes, so perhaps a move to England isn't the right choice for him just yet.

If we shift our emphasis to the minutes Moukoko could expect at a club, his best option are Eredivisie giants Ajax with a whopping Club Fit rating of 89. A deal would make sense in light of Brian Brobbey's links to Newcastle United as his departure would leave the Amsterdam side in need of a new centre-forward.