After watching his side play out a 0-0 stalemate against rivals Leeds in their first pre-season match, Ruben Amorim has made his next transfer target clear.
Manchester United have finally agreed a deal with Brentford for Bryan Mbeumo, with a £65 million plus a further £6 million in add-ons being accepted, meaning the Cameroonian is the third man through the door this Summer after the signing of Matheus Cunha, and Diego León arriving from Paraguay.
With an out-and-out striker still seemingly being Ruben Amorim’s main priority this transfer window, it’s expected that United will now offload their players deemed surplus to requirements to raise funds to secure further targets.
It’s expected that Mbeumo will report to Carrington before joining up with the squad that will fly to America to compete in the Summer Series where they will face West Ham, Bournemouth, and Everton.
The 25-year-old will be eager to prove his price tag to Amorim, who will have been left slightly disappointed by the fact his side weren’t able to break through Leeds’ defence despite Cunha showing signs of brilliance.
Amorim’s latest transfer demand
For the most part, many of the United players weren’t up to pace which is to be expected given it’s the first game of pre-season. One bright spark however was the new signing, Cunha.
Whenever the 26-year-old got on the ball, his forward-thinking attitude would have been a big breath of fresh air for fans, drawing a number of fouls and looking dangerous whenever he was in possession.
Speaking after his side’s draw, Amorim reflected on Cunha’s first performance, and spoke on a position that Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox should be improving. He said: “We had a lack of pace, especially in the middle of the park. You can feel that it’s hard to bring the ball. But we created chances.
“I think Matheus Cunha showed what we need. The player, when he receives the ball between the lines, can be really aggressive in the direction of the opponent. We had a lot to do, but it was a first test against a Premier League team. Two different teams, so it was a good test.”
Potential midfield targets for Amorim
With Mbeumo finally through the door, the club is still targeting a natural number nine, as well as a central midfielder, with reinforcements for these two positions seen as crucial for Amorim’s plans ahead of his first full Premier League campaign.
With Christian Eriksen leaving the club, and both Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro showing inconsistent form last season, several midfielders have been linked with moves to Old Trafford.
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Names such as Ederson and Richard Rios have been linked with moves to Old Trafford, but perhaps the ideal signing for Amorim would to re-unite with former former player Morten Hjulmand, who could be available for around £43 million
The current Sporting captain would be an ideal signing who would pair up with Bruno Fernandes brilliantly. He is a defensively intelligent midfielder with a great reading of the game, and, having already played in Amorim’s system, has the tactical awareness to slot into the midfield.
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