Bryan Mbeumo completed his move to Manchester United from Brentford last week and has revealed what fans and Ruben Amorim can expect from him this Premier League season
Bryan Mbeumo is set to outshine the outgoing talent at Manchester United, having emphasised the significance of his defensive contributions.
Last week, United confirmed the signing of Mbeumo from Brentford in a transfer that could total £71million. The 25-year-old represents an electrifying boost to Ruben Amorim’s squad, which was goal-shy last term.
Mbeumo scored 20 Premier League goals for the Bees in the previous season, demonstrating his knack for scoring. His remarkable speed promises to inject a fresh element into the Red Devils’ forward line.
However, it was during his appearance on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast that the Cameroonian international drew attention to another aspect of his game that likely influenced Amorim’s eagerness to secure his services this summer: his commendable defensive efforts.
When quizzed by United icon Ferdinand about his contributions to defence, Mbeumo responded: “It’s really important to attack and defend as a team.
“I think if just one of us doesn’t defend, it makes space for the opponents and they can get through. It’s really important to defend well as a team. Of course, it’s easier to regain the ball [that way] as well.”
His focus on defence is a marked departure from the forwards who have struggled under Amorim since his appointment in November. Antony, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho are three members of United’s so-called ‘bomb squad’ this summer, reports the Mirror.
They were all instructed to seek new clubs at the start of the summer and made to train separately from the first team, with Rashford leaving for Barcelona last week on a season-long loan deal.
While discipline issues and poor form also played a part in the decision by United’s management to let these players go, all three, along with returning loanee Jadon Sancho, have been criticised for their lacklustre defensive efforts in the past.
Much of Amorim’s success at Sporting CP, where he clinched two league titles, was built on solid defensive work and aggressive ball recovery high up the pitch, with press traps leading to swift transitions to attack.
This is partly why the Portuguese coach relied so heavily on Amad last season compared to some of United’s more flamboyant forward options. The Ivorian recorded more tackles, duels and recoveries than Rashford and Garnacho, while rewarding Amorim’s faith by netting 11 goals and providing 10 assists in all competitions.
Under the defensively-minded Thomas Frank at Brentford, Mbeumo was certainly no slouch either. He covered more ground than any other forward in the league last season, as well as delivering the most crosses (202) and the most expected assists (9.3).
His commitment to exerting effort in both attack and defence will be a welcome sound not only to Amorim but also to United’s supporters, who have previously voiced their dissatisfaction with players such as Rashford for his perceived lack of defensive contribution.