Bryan Mbeumo went from being one of the Premier League’s most frustrating and wasteful forwards to a goal machine in just one season, and the coach who powered that turnaround has already been lost by Man Utd.
Barring any unwanted surprises, Bryan Mbeumo is set to become Man Utd’s second summer signing, following Matheus Cunha.
Mbeumo will come to Old Trafford on the back of his finest season in club football, breaching the 20-goal mark for the first time in the league.
That is almost as many goals as he scored in the last three seasons before that combined (9, 9, and 4), and the credit for the turnaround goes to a coach who was with Man United and unleashed the club’s own two jewels.
Justin Cochrane coach of Brentford with Thomas Frank, the head coach
Photo by Richard Sellers/Getty Images
Bryan Mbeumo benefitted from working with Justin Cochrane
It feels like a lifetime ago, but just about four years ago, United made a statement appointment for their academy by hiring Justin Cochrane as their head of player development in the academy.
Cochrane came as a highly-rated name in the coaching circles, and he was poached by Brentford just a year later, where he worked with Thomas Frank.
Cochrane joined Brentford in 2022 and, in his very first season working with Mbeumo, the Cameroon international’s return went from four goals and seven assists in the league (2021/22) to nine goals and eight assists (2022/23).
The Athletic report that Cochrane worked closely with Mbeumo and deserves ‘some credit’ for helping him become clinical.
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Mbeumo wildly overshot his xG at Brentford in 2024/25, scoring 20 from an xG of just 13.63, much like Matheus Cunha.
The report states: “Cochrane can take some credit for helping [Mbeumo] to become more clinical. Cochrane planned training sessions at Brentford. He would design drills around the tactical set-up of their next opponent or based on what skills he felt individuals needed to improve.
“Along with Frank, he mainly focused on the attacking unit. It was their duty to push Mbeumo, Wissa, and Schade to a higher level with regular finishing drills.”
Cochrane made such an impression on Frank at Brentford that he’s set to follow the manager to Spurs, joining United’s rivals three years after leaving United.
However, he didn’t leave United empty-handed either. His prints are all over the breakthrough of the academy’s crown jewels.
Cochrane helped Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho
United’s FA Youth Cup-winning squad with Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho is a bona fide success story, and Cochrane’s impact on the youngsters can’t be ignored.
The Athletic’s report adds that the coach helped Garnacho to become ‘less predictable’, as he was prone to always cutting inside and shooting on his right foot.
Cochrane designed drills to start getting him to use his weaker foot as well, while his work with Mainoo is also visible as the midfielder has turned into quite a threat in the attacking box with his deceptive finishing skills.
United have been on the wrong side of Cochrane’s work as they’ve been hurt numerous times by the likes of Wissa, Schade, and Mbeumo.
Mbeumo might be in their ranks soon, but the man who helped unleash his best version will now be plotting their downfall at a bigger club.