Manchester United are facing a dilemma with Bryan Mbuemo as Newcastle United look to wrap up a deal for Anthony Elanga in the coming days.
After dealing with disappointment in the opening weeks of the summer transfer window, the Magpies are making moves in a competitive market.
Newcastle United wanted to sign a winger this summer, and it looks like they are about to. Nottingham Forest are pleased with Newcastle’s offer for Anthony Elanga, which is believed to be in the region of £55million. Work has now been going on behind the scenes to iron out bonuses before the deal gets over the line.
However, it could have been a completely different story for Newcastle had other negotiations gone their way. It was widely recognised that Bryan Mbeumo was Newcastle’s ‘dream’ transfer target, and they were very interested in bringing him to Tyneside.
When it came to talks, Mbeumo shocked Newcastle by asking for £250,000-a-week in wages, a salary that would have made him the club’s highest earner by a big margin. It now looks like Mbeumo could join Manchester United, but they have reportedly been left scratching their heads after two rejected bids.
Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after scoring in a Premier League game between Brentford and Brighton.
Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Man United weighing up a third bid for Bryan Mbeumo
Mbeumo was sensational for Brentford last season, scoring 20 goals and bagging seven assists in the Premier League.
There have been major question marks over his future for the last 12 months, and it looks like there will still be no conclusion to it anytime soon. Man United do not want to overpay for Mbeumo, but it looks like they will have to offer right up to Brentford’s valuation for him if they stand a chance of signing him.
According to the Standard, Brentford are still holding firm over their asking price for Mbeumo, and Man United are now facing a race against the clock to reach an agreement before the start of pre-season.
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Brentford are looking for over £63m for the 25-year-old, and are digging their heels in over that valuation. The Red Devils have already had two offers, with the second totalling £62.5m with add-ons rejected by the Bees.
Sporting director Phil Giles thinks Mbeumo will stay at Brentford this summer, but they may be forced to accept a bid for him if they match his valuation.
Newcastle United moved on from Bryan Mbeumo at the right time
After initial talks, it became clear to Newcastle officials that they would not be signing Mbeumo this summer. As a result, the Magpies have moved on to other targets. With Newcastle now close to a deal for Elanga, some will argue that they are getting a better deal than Man United for Mbeumo.
While it looks to be a better deal on paper, nobody will know the true outcome of the deals until the end of next season.
Despite requesting a significant amount of money from Newcastle, it has been reported that Mbeumo will earn around £150,000-a-week at Man United, putting him on a similar salary to what Matheus Cunha will make with the Red Devils.
Those finances will make some feel that Mbeumo never really wanted to join Newcastle, and always had a move to Man United in his sights. The Cameroon international will get his move eventually, but Newcastle were smart enough to realise when the deal was never going to happen.