Matthijs de Ligt has been raving about new Manchester United signing Bryan Mbeumo after his move from Brentford earlier this summer.
Bryan Mbeumo is one of three attacking signings Rúben Amorim has made at Manchester United so far this summer, revolutionising the club’s front line.
Mbeumo joined United in July from Brentford for an initial £65 million plus a further £6 million in add-ons, although the road that led to his move was a drawn-out and rocky afair.
The 26-year-old joins Matheus Cunha and soon-to-be United striker Benjamin Šeško as three of the club’s four total additions, with the other being 18-year-old left-back Diego Leon.
Mbeumo made his unofficial debut for the club in the United States last week, and is building his fitness ahead of becoming the club’s new first-choice right-sided forward.
De Ligt assess Mbeumo’s impact at United
Matthijs de Ligt signed for United in August 2024 from Bayern Munich for around £35 million and was hitting good form earlier this year before injuries cut his debut campaign short.
However, the Netherlands international is now a firm part of Amorim’s defensive ranks, and was asked about how Mbeumo has settled into life at United and what he can bring to the squad.
De Ligt was quick to praise the Cameroon international’s efficiency in training and on the pitch, citing his goalscoring abilities and effectiveness on the ball as one of the best qualities to have in football.
“I think Bryan is more like, really efficient,” De Ligt told the club’s media. “He just needs one action, to go to his left foot and score. I think one of the biggest qualities in football is to have the ability to score goals, and I think he can really help us with that.”
Cunha, Mbeumo and Šeško complement each other well
While it’s unlikely that Amorim will line up all three of his new attacking signings during their opening game of the competitive season against Arsenal, it will not be long until the trio are leading the charge for United.
What is essential for Amorim is that he finds balance between the three signings, and all three profiles complement each other well.
Šeško is a player known for his incredible athleticism, as well as his ability to bring others into play. As well as being a goalscorer, he knows how to bring others into play, and with Cunha and Mbeumo both very willing runners, they will be able to feed well of the striker, as well as supply him with chances.
As for the differences between Cunha and Mbeumo, the pair provide very different issues for defenders, which could cause chaos for any team trying to block out the pair.
While Mbeumo is an incredibly efficient player who can beat his man and either create a chance or take a shot on goal, Cunha is much more unpredictable and can turn on the style at any moment, making him a maverick in attack.
The former and the latter as a pair alongside Šeško, supported out wide by wing-back Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu and Amad, help form a dangerous front five that could cause problems for any team they face.
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