Bryan Mbeumo celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Brentford FC at Molineux.
Manchester United are working on a deal for Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo this summer.
Something that has been constantly criticised when it comes to transfer business is their lack of speed in completing deals. This year, they cannot be accused of that.
United finished the 2024/25 Premier League season in 15th, recording their worst finish since the league was formed in 1992. That was compounded by the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham.
Pressure is on United to turn things around. Long are the days are Premier League titles being lifted into the air come May. Next season,
Fortunately, work has already been completed in doing that. and are expected to return with a third - and hopefully final - offer to sign the 25-year-old.
All being well, the signing of Mbeumo will see United's total spend surpass £125million. Both Cunha and Mbeumo will come in for over £60m, last year,
Four more players could still come and bolster Amorim's squad with a number of options already linked. If that happens, that's unclear right now. But there's encouragement from United's dealings already that they haven't done in years.
Cunha came to United on the back of 15 league goals for Wolves and Mbeumo bagged 20. The two players were targets identified after stellar campaigns in the Premier League. Signing the league's better-performing players is something that Sir Alex Ferguson mastered and a strategy that has been overlooked in recent years.
The last signing United made for a Premier League player was Mason Mount from Chelsea, a deal that hasn't proved its £55m fee. Before that, Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Tom Heaton came on frees with Wout Weghorst and Martin Dubravka arriving on loan.
United spent £145m to bring in six years ago. Despite having his troubles, Maguire is the only one that has been a success. Before the defender moved from Leicester City, United's last big signing from the Premier League was Romelu Lukaku.
Harry Maguire is Man United's last successful signing from the Premier League (Image: PA)
The striker cost an initial. Six months after the Belgian was snapped-up, Alexis Sanchez arrived from Arsenal and that didn't work.
It's a strategy in the transfer market that United have avoided in spite of the remarkable history. Under Ferguson, some of the Scotsman's greatest-ever signings came from league rivals. Eric Cantona in 1992, Roy Keane in 1993, Andy Cole in 1994, Teddy Sheringham in 1996, Dwight Yorke in 1998, Rio Ferdinand in 2002, Wayne Rooney in 2004, Dimitar Berbatov in 2008 and Robin van Persie in 2012.
There's also mentionable names for Louis Saka, Michael Carrick, Carlos Tevez, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young. It's something that United used to get so right and have now lost their way with others benefitting.
Jack Grealish, Declan Rice, Moises Caicedo, Virgil van Dijk, Wesley Fofana, Riyad Mahrez, Pedro Neto and Amadou Onana have all left Premier League teams for rivals in big moves. United have been nowhere near any of them.
Manchester United signed Robin van Persie from Arsenal and won the league (Image: PA)
Cunha and Mbeumo deals show a glimpse of United edging their way back into that circle. Links to all point to them having no intention of overspending on Premier League unproven players.
Players outside of England aren't terrible options. However, that market is so saturated that United and others are faced with paying over the odds for targets. The gamble is, sometimes, not worth the risk. Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Donny van de Beek have been 'gambles' that have proved to be a waste of money.
Signing the Premier League's best-performing players is a strategy United are finally returning to and it could very well see them become the juggernaut in the English transfer market.
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