Man United's decision to try and bring in established Premier League players has been approved by their former captain.
Gary Neville speaks to Sky Sports at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Gary Neville is a fan of Manchester United targeting Premier League players.
(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images.)
Manchester United have stepped up their attempts to sign Bryan Mbeumo by tabling a new and improved bid for the Brentford attacker.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, United have submitted an offer in excess of £60million for the Cameroonian, who scored 20 Premier League goals last season.
United saw an opening offer worth £55m rejected for the 25-year-old earlier this month. They offered £45m up front and an additional £10m in add-ons.
Mbeumo was one of the best players in the Premier League last season, highlighted by his tally of 20 Premier League goals. He also registered seven assists.
United are desperate to strengthen their attacking options this summer after finishing the 2024/25 campaign with a negative goal difference of -10. They have already made progress on that score, signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves for £62.5m earlier this month.
Just as they so often did during Sir Alex Ferguson's heyday, United are now prioritising trying to recruit Premier League proven players, who they hope will be able to come in and hit the ground running.
Their decision to increase their offer for Mbeumo to north of £60m highlights their level of ambition to get another established Premier League operator through the door. Between them, Cunha and Mbeumo scored 35 Premier League goals last season.
Having often turned to the overseas market for new additions in recent years, United's decision to try and recruit players from closer to home is a wise move - and has already had the seal of approval from former Reds captain Gary Neville.
"Man United has become a very difficult place for new signings to operate over the past 10 years," Neville said earlier this month.
Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after scoring for Brentford on the final day of the season away at Wolves.
Bryan Mbeumo would be an excellent addition for Manchester United.(Image: Stuart Leggett | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images.)
"Cunha and [Bryan] Mbeumo have Premier League experience, and are the right type. When I watch wide players these days, they have to be able to get box to box quickly, they have to be able to run and travel with the ball - they can both do that."
With confirmation of United making an improved bid for Mbeumo, it is crystal clear they are prioritising players with Premier League pedigree. As a result, it should allow new additions to adapt to their new surroundings fairly seamlessly.
United have taken too many gambles when it has to come signing attacking players in recent years such as Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Antony.
Although Cunha and potentially Mbeumo offer no guarantee of replicating the form they produced at Wolves and Brentford, respectively, United's decision to target the pair of them does make sense.
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