Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo
Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo
are in the midst of a big summer, with eager to make his mark on the squad he inherited fromlast November.
It has undoubtedly been a challenging year for the Red Devils, who struggled throughout their campaign and suffered the ultimate heartbreak in May’s final, losing to Tottenham. For Amorim, a degree of rebuilding is essential if United are to gain momentum, and the wheels are already in motion, with ’s arrival from Wolves confirmed.
Since then, attention has turned firmly towards securing Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. The Cameroon international has emerged as a top target for United, but so far, no agreement has been reached with the London club over a deal to bring him to Old Trafford.
Interestingly, Brentford’s sporting director, Phil Giles, has spoken publicly about the negotiations with United, insisting that Mbeumo’s departure is far from guaranteed. His comments reinforce the club’s stance that any deal will depend entirely on the right offer being made.
“We’ve spoken to Bryan and his representatives, and it’s not a given that he’s going to depart this summer,” Giles told Sky Sports on Monday. “If we get the right offer, then there’s potentially a deal to be done.
"From what I understand, he'd be happy to stay at Brentford next year as well. Let's see what happens. He had an outstanding season and we expected interest in him, and if the deal's right, there's a deal to do."
United’s most recent bid, in excess of £60 million, last week, so whether a deal can be completed before players return for pre-season training next week remains to be seen. Yet, the current gap in valuation may force United to consider shelving their interest - at least temporarily.
While Mbeumo has just 12 months left on his contract, Brentford hold an option to trigger a one-year extension, effectively making it two years. If the player is happy to stay at the Gtech Community Stadium, as the club's sporting director suggests, should a move not materialise, Brentford are under little pressure to compromise - especially if they’re not dealing with a player desperate to leave.
From United’s perspective, it’s understandably in their best interests to secure their key targets this summer. Amorim will need all the tools available if he's to revitalise a squad that vastly underperformed last season.
That said, if United are either unwilling or unable to meet Brentford’s valuation, they may be forced to show patience - potentially waiting six, or more likely twelve, months.
Next summer, should Brentford trigger the one-year extension, Mbeumo would enter the final year of his contract. United could then return to the table with increased negotiating power, as the player would no longer command the same fee.
They could well land Mbeumo for a reduced price, but it’s equally valid to argue that the cost of missing out on him this summer may outweigh the financial savings of waiting a year. All United fans can do now is wait and hope that one of the club’s top targets follows Cunha through the door, and plays a key role in reshaping the attack next season.
Get United transfer news and updates on WhatsApp!
Our team of Manchester United experts are on top of all the goings-on at Old Trafford for this week and beyond, and you can get the latest team news, injury updates, reaction and analysis along with inside information to your phone by joining our new . You can also join the 50,000 (and growing!) band of United fans who are following our
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our.
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including and , and you can also watch along on .