Manchester United have been served a timely reminder of just how crucial their pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo has become.
The Red Devils have already seen two bids knocked back for the Brentford talisman and are now gearing up for a decisive third offer.
Mbeumo is their first choice to fill the right-sided number 10 spot, but they have also ‘admired‘ Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.
Semenyo was considered their strong Plan B after enjoying a fantastic 2024–25 campaign, in which he netted 13 goals and recorded seven assists in 42 games across all competitions.
United have endured a fresh setback with Bournemouth officially confirming that Semenyo has penned a new long-term deal to stay at the Vitality Stadium.
This came as a shock to many as the Ghana international was also monitored by Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.
Having been determined not to overpay in the market, United must now go all in for Mbeumo to avoid further disappointment in their attacking rebuild.
Ruben Amorim will reconnect with his squad in less than a week for the pre-season, but the club have backed him with merely one quality addition.
That same squad slumped to a miserable 15th-place finish in the Premier League and suffered heartbreak against Tottenham in the UEFA Europa League final.
The Portuguese coach will ideally want to have both Mbeumo and Cunha at his disposal on the first day of pre-season.
United’s attack looked toothless and was desperately lacking creativity, with only Bruno Fernandes standing out with his performances.
Cunha is expected to seamlessly slot into the left number 10 position. He thrived in a similar role during his spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Mbeumo’s inclusion would allow Fernandes to drop deeper into midfield, where he could pull the strings and dictate tempo with greater control.
United’s transfer activity is not expected to stop after signing the Cameroon international.
Recruiting a striker and a midfielder is also necessary to fully back the manager.
However, any further spending will likely hinge on the club’s ability to offload unwanted players and generate much-needed funds.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com