Man United are confident their third bid for Bryan Mbeumo will be enough to bring him to Old Trafford.
Manchester United are confident of wrapping up the signing of attacker Bryan Mbeumo after submitting a third bid for the Brentford star.
United have submitted a third bid for the Cameroonian international, understood to be worth up to £70million. They have offered £65m up front and an additional £5m in add-ons.
United have been locked in talks with Brentford for just over six weeks, meaning they will now be hoping it will be third time lucky in their quest to lure him to Old Trafford. Mbeumo made it crystal clear several weeks ago that he wants to move to M16.
After scoring 20 Premier League goals last season, Mbeumo would be a second statement signing of the summer for United. They have already splashed out £62.5m on bringing Matheus Cunha, who scored 17 goals last term, to the club from Wolves.
Cunha is expected to occupy the left-sided No.10 position in head coach Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation and there is a strong chance Mbeumo could be installed as the right-sided playmaker. His versatility, though, means he could be deployed elsewhere.
Primarily a winger throughout his time at Brentford, Mbeumo is renowned for cutting in from the right and making full use of his trustworthy left foot. It means he could be an option as either the right-sided No.10 or right wing-back for Amorim.
Amad, who regularly blossomed for United last term, is also equally capable as a right-sided No.10 or right wing-back. With that said, the worst that can happen is that Amad and Mbeumo create healthy competition for each other and a selection dilemma for Amorim.
With Cunha a guaranteed starter and Mbeumo expected to be given the same treatment if he finalises a switch to M16 without any further setbacks, Amorim’s first-choice starting XI for the 2025/26 will be closer towards completion.
As things currently stand, United are still in the market for a striker, a midfielder and a goalkeeper, meaning they will soon have to flex their muscles in the seller’s market to fund those prospective additions.
Despite currently being unavailable because of a hamstring injury, Andre Onana is expected to remain United’s first-choice goalkeeper this season. United want to recruit a shot-stopper who can compete with and push the Cameroonian, but Onana is under the impression he will remain Amorim’s No.1.
United are well-stocked at centre-back and pre-season performances could dictate who starts the season opener against Arsenal in a month’s time. Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven are the future of United’s backline and will believe they are worthy of becoming staples in the wide centre-back roles, while Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire will be fighting to start in the middle.
On the presumption Mbeumo is deployed in attack, Amad is the logical pick at right wing-back after regularly catching the eye on the right flank last season. Meanwhile, Patrick Dorgu is a shoo-in on the opposite flank and will be keen to improve after arriving from Lecce earlier this year.
Following Cunha’s arrival, Bruno Fernandes is expected to complete a permanent switch to midfield and occupy one of the two No.8 spots. He regularly operated from the engine room in the second half of last term and rarely looked out of place.
Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, Toby Collyer and Casemiro are all currently jockeying to join Fernandes in midfield, but the club remains keen on signing a new midfielder. Who that could be is currently impossible to predict.
Mbeumo and Cunha will build two thirds of Amorim’s attack, occupying the two No.10 spots. The United chief struggled in his search for consistency in those two roles last season, meaning it is highly likely those positions could be occupied by new faces.
United’s need for an out-and-out centre-forward has been well-documented throughout the summer, and they attempted to solve that particular mission quickly by swooping for Liam Delap last month. However, Chelsea pipped them to his signature.
The Reds have since been heavily linked with the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen but are increasingly likely to miss out on both of them. Fortunately, the prospect of adding Mbeumo to the addition of Cunha should ease the attacking burden on whoever leads United’s attack come the start of the season.
United’s dream XI: Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Heaven; Amad, new midfielder, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; new striker.
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