Suphanat Mueanta – The First Thai Wonderkid by Haydn Chapman-Taylor
Full name: Suphanat Mueanta
Date of birth: 2 august 2002
Place of birth: Sisaket, Thailand
Height: 173cm (5ft8)
Youth teams: Buriram United
Current team: Buriram United
Position: right winger, left winger
Preferred foot: right
Market value: 700k (euros)
Contracted until: 31 may 2026
Similar type of player: Noni Madueke
Strengths:
– speed
– technique
– ball Control
– high pressing
– defending from the front
– crossing
– 1v1 with defenders
– timing of his runs
– off the ball movement
Weaknesses:
– strength: he tends to be shrugged of the ball rather easily
– he still needs to work on his quality and choice of pass
Playing Style:
– pacy attacking winger who likes to have the ball at his feet or to chase overtop to utilise his pace
– he likes to stay wide during build up play but will cut inside with the ball and ait narrower when the balls in a dangerous position on the opposite flank
– his finishing is at a very good level; he scores the majority of his goals with his right foot whether that’s good anticipation from close range from a cross or scoring from distance
– despite his height he scores a lot of goals with his head exploding into the box a nodding home confidently
– he presses from the front very well putting pressure as soon as the opposition player takes his first touch this triggers the press from Mueanta
– he’s more of a out and out winger rather than a inside forward as he plays mostly out on the right-hand side and with him being predominantly right footed he rarely uses his left foot
– well suited to playing on the counter with his electric pace, final third decisiveness and ability to pick out a pass or a finish
Description:
Suphanat Mueanta joined Buriram united as a youngster and made his first team debut back in 2018. He’s a natural Right winger who is more than comfortable on the left or through the middle if required, his desire to win the ball up the attacking end of the field makes him a perfect fit for the modern game; he runs willingly and plays with a great energy. He loves the ball at his feet. With his low centre of gravity being only 5ft 8; he’s not strong, but he wins fouls using his body well whether he has his back to goal, slowing play down or running at defences with his electric pace, he can tend to rush passes, gifting possession to the opposition. He has the ability to hit t a ball sweetly like this goal to make it a 2 goal deficit against Muang Thong United.
Despite only being 20 years old, he features regularly for the Thai national team, picking up 12 international caps and 4 goals making his debut for the Thai national team in 2019 only a year after his senior debut for Buriram United. This season he has played 40 appearances in all competitions in Thailand scoring thirteen goals and 16 assists at the age of 20, he’s scored all of his 13 goals when playing on the right-hand side in 36 appearances, he’s made 3 appearances from the left-hand side getting three assists but no goals and as a second striker he’s made one appearance where he got an assist. He is the youngest player to ever appear in the Thai league making his debut at the mere age of 15 days, 8 months and 22 days; and just a month later he broke the youngest goal scorer record in the league at 15 years and 9 months, 24 days. He made his national team debut at the age of 16 years 10 months and 3 days. He has an impressive trophy collection already at 20 years of age; 3x Thai Premier League (17/18, 21/22, 22/23), 1x Thailand Champions Cup winner (18/19), 2x Thai Cup winner (21/22, 22/23) 2x Thai Cup winner (21/22,22/23), 2x Thai League Cup winner (21/22,22/23) and 1x AFF Championship winners with Thailand.
A good transfer for? Personally, I think Mueanta would be a sensible signing for newly relegated Leicester City, with the foxes taking the drop to the Championship, and with Thai links through their owners I think Mueanta would be a sensible signing for them. As Tete is only on loan, Harvey Barnes is set for a move back to the premier league, Albrighton getting on with age and lacking any real depth in the wide areas, picking up Mueanta for cheap it could be good business. He could offer good depth in those areas or be sent out to the Belgium Jupiler Pro League with OH Leuven, Leicester’s affiliate club.