Manchester United have reportedly furthered their intent to sign Bryan Mbeumo this summer amid the player’s reported wage demands of £250,000 a week.
Rúben Amorim’s Manchester United rebuild is off to a flying start, with the club confirming a £62.5 million deal to sign Matheus Cunha from Wolves on the first day of the summer window.
Momentum continued to build on day two, as David Ornstein reported that Bryan Mbeumo is keen to join United, despite strong interest from Newcastle, Arsenal, and Tottenham.
The good news kept coming, with captain Bruno Fernandes deciding to stay at Old Trafford, turning down a big-money move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
With two major targets lined up and Fernandes committed, United must now prioritise player sales to unlock further signings.
United willing to pay Mbeumo’s wage demands
United’s summer transfer window is a fine balance between bringing in fresh talent to improve the physicality of Amorim’s squad while also cutting costs, with the club looking to trim their current wage bill.
Mbeumo’s potential arrival at United would be a major upgrade on many of Amorim’s current options, but there has been confusion in the media regarding his wage demands.
Initial reports stated that he would be demanding £250,000 a week to play at Old Trafford, although transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has stated that his demands will be more in line with Cunha’s at a reported £200,000 a week.
However, a report from talkSPORT is sticking with the £250,000-a-week demand, further stating that United have now decided to meet his demands in order to complete the transfer.
A £250,000 a week contract would see Mbeumo’s wage jump five-fold from his £50,000 a week deal at Brentford, which expires next season.
Mbeumo’s contract could hinge on Champions League football
Although the £250,000-a-week demand remains far from confirmed, there is a chance that this is a fee being demanded that takes into account United’s Champions League qualification clause.
Across all the club’s contracts with its players, there is a penalty clause that sees the players’ and coaching staff’s salaries drop by 25% if they are not playing in the Champions League, to help compensate for the loss of income that comes with not participating in the Champions League.
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With United not playing any European football next season, all players’ contracts have been down by 25% since the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign, and are set to remain this way for the foreseeable future.
However, if United secure their place back in Europe’s elite competition next season, all players will see their contracts rise once again. In Mbeumo’s case, the £250,000-per-week demand could well include Champions League qualification.
This would see the player earn an initial £200,000 a week at the club this coming season, and his wage would then rise to around £250,000 a week if the club finish in the Premier League’s qualification spots for the Champions League in 2026/27.
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