Manchester United’s pursuit of Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo is nearing completion if the clubs can agree on one final aspect of the deal.
Manchester United look like they are finally closing in on their second signing of the summer, with a deal for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo nearing completion.
Manager Rúben Amorim is eager to strengthen his attacking options following the arrival of Matheus Cunha earlier this month, although negotiations for Mbeumo have proven to be complex.
An initial £55 million bid for the 25-year-old was rejected in early June, but United have since returned with an improved offer of around £60 million, which they are hopeful will be accepted.
Once Mbeumo joins Cunha at Old Trafford, United are expected to offload several players and accelerate their pursuit of both a striker and a midfielder ahead of the Premier League season kicking off in mid-August.
One obstacle left to get the deal over the line
Mbeumo has been linked with United for several weeks now, opting for a move to Old Trafford rather than reuniting with Thomas Frank at Tottenham.
The Cameroonian enjoyed his best season in the Premier League, scoring 20 goals and assisting eight, and is now set to bring that prolificness to Manchester United if just one more thing is agreed upon.
According to The Standard, the breakdown of United’s second bid for Mbuemo is a fixed fee of £55 million, with an additional £5 million in the form of add-ons.
Brentford, who are in a strong bargaining position owing to Mbeumo’s contract situation, have seemingly responded to the bid by indicating that they are looking to negotiate easier add-ons from United before they can let their star player leave the Gtech Community Stadium.
This suggests that they are comfortable with the roughly £60 million total bid United have presented, and are now open to negotiating the payment terms before the deal is officially accepted.
With this deal being an inevitability, this transfer will enable United to progress to the next stage of their summer transformation, which will involve moving on several players to help fund further spending.
How Mbeumo fits in at United
Mbeumo would undoubtedly offer more than any of United’s wingers last season, but the question of whether the 25-year-old can maintain such efficiency remains. His 20 goals scored last term significantly outperformed his 12.3 xG, but he isn’t just about goals.
Next season, he will primarily operate as the right attacking midfielder and was highly involved in playmaking during his time at Brentford.
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He led the league in expected assists (9.3 xA) but only registered seven. His ball-carrying ability and chance creation would be a valuable addition for a United side that managed just 44 goals.
With his Brentford teammate, Yoane Wissa, contributing to 19 goals, there was less pressure on Mbeumo to score, a situation that will likely change at Old Trafford. With the arrival of Cunha, Amorim’s intent to reshape United’s attack with players who have Premier League experience is evident.
The signing of Premier League-ready players is definitely a step in the right direction. Despite the need for a dedicated striker still being present, United’s two transfers so far mean that they will certainly pose a greater threat going forward than they did in the previous campaign.
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