Bryan Mbeumo is still waiting for his Manchester United move to go through as Brentford wait for the Reds to table a third bid for their player.
Manchester United have shifted their focus to securing a third signing this summer, following the confirmed arrivals of Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon.
Cunha, 26, joined from Wolves in a £62.5 million transfer, while 18-year-old Leon was signed from Paraguayan club Cerro Porteño for an initial £3 million, potentially rising to £7 million with performance-related add-ons.
The club remains in negotiations with Brentford over Bryan Mbeumo, although previous offers of £55 million and £62.5 million have been turned down.
Rúben Amorim is also keen to reinforce both midfield and attack ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, with hopes that the bulk of United’s transfer business will be completed before the pre-season tour begins.
Mbeumo’s new stance on United situation as Brentford make fee claim
Mbeumo made it clear at the beginning of the transfer window that he would like to join United, which led to clubs like Newcastle dropping out of the race.
The 25-year-old would have likely made this move to give the Reds an upper hand and the ability to get a deal done sooner, but it has been over a month later and his future is still in the air.
Despite it being a ‘dream’ move for the player, Mbeumo is now said to be ‘growing frustrated’ with the slow progress made in the deal.
That’s according to Standard Sport, with the report also claiming that Brentford are also frustrated with the situation at hand as they continue to ask for slightly more than the last £62.5 million bid.
Following on from the fees touted for Noni Madueke and Anthony Elanga in recent weeks, Brentford do not only believe their valuation is fair but also perhaps ‘even lower than market value’.
United need a balance in negotiations
Omar Berrada initially assured fans that Manchester United would be patient in the transfer market, aiming to secure the best possible deals; a message that was well received early on.
However, the drawn-out nature of the Mbeumo pursuit has started to frustrate supporters too, especially as Brentford’s firm stance has been clear from the outset. United’s negotiating approach now appears ineffective, with little progress made despite repeated bids.
At this stage, the club hasn’t pulled out of the deal, suggesting they’re already too invested to walk away, but that also raises concerns about time being wasted.
Amorim’s squad reported back for pre-season earlier this week, yet Mbeumo was notably absent, despite expectations that he would be signed and present by that point.
Ultimately, there needs to be a balance between securing value and recognising when a certain price must be met. United now face the reality of either meeting Brentford’s valuation or risking further delay.
It still seems likely the deal will be completed, but only after a protracted saga that has yielded little more than wasted time.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 12:30 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.