Mbeumo is likely to become a United player and will form a partnership with Cunha in attack.placeholder image
Mbeumo is likely to become a United player and will form a partnership with Cunha in attack. | Getty Images
Man Utd are closing in on the signing of Bryan Mbeumo but is he worth the wait?
It would be a shock at best and hugely embarassing at worst if Manchester United don’t announce the signing of Bryan Mbeumo in the coming days.
A deal to sign Mbeumo is said to be close, as it has been all summer, with Ruben Amorim keen to add the Brentford forward alongside the maverick that is Matheus Cunha. The 25-year old isn’t an out and out striker but is capable of playing through the middle, on the right of the attack and even as a wing-back. Where he will play is going to be a fascinating watch.
What has Thomas Franks said about Man Utd target Bryan Mbeumo?
The Cameroon international has an impressive goal contribution rate in the Premier League of better than one every two games with part of his evolution coming when former Bees teammate Ivan Toney was banned for eight-months. Comments made by Thomas Frank and Amorim now making a lot of sense.
United would be better off targeting Hugo Ekitike in terms of where they lack quality in the starting XI, however, what Frank said about Mbeumo is exactly what Amorim is looking for as he rebuilds a team that has been beset by problems attributed to both attitude and effort: "[Mbeumo] must be number two after Ivan [Toney] in terms of goals and assists, which is key," Frank said via BBC Sport. "His work rate for the team is incredible. You don’t see many wingers who work so hard and mean so much.
"He’s become the key man, saying 'give me the ball, I’ll take this'.”
A fee in the region of £65m is a lot of money in a position where United seemingly aren’t desperate for reinforcements. What it suggests though, is that there is a plan, a seismic shift in approach from playing players who are talented to players who are willing to do the hard yards first.
What has Ruben Amorim said about players he wants for Man Utd?
An insight that Amorim alluded to in December shortly after taking charge at Old Trafford: "It’s impossible to win the Premier League without a team like that, that fights for every moment, runs back, runs forward, it’s impossible to win," Amorim said via Sky Sports.
"If we want to win we have to do it. Even with the best starting XI on the planet, without running they will not win nothing. So that is very clear. If we want to win the Premier League we have to run like mad dogs. If not, we are not going to!”
On too many occasions last season United were too easy to play against. Too soft, not physical enough and even looked like they weren’t interested at times. What players like Mbeumo do is drive others around them and lead others into making the same sort of effort.
There needs to be quality too of course but Mbeumo’s goal return rate suggests that he can thrive under the pressure of expectation. United should have done more business by now, unfortunately though, there are five players who want to leave the club who could do with taking a leaf out of Mbeumo’s book
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