Manchester United transfer news as talks with Brentford over Bryan Mbeumo continue - a move which hints at Bruno Fernandes having a new role for Ruben Amorim next season.
Bruno Fernandes in action for Man Utd.
Bruno Fernandes has - primarily - played as an attacking midfielder for Man Utd.
(Image: Getty Images)
Bryan Mbeumo potentially becoming the second player Manchester United agree to sign since the summer transfer window reopened suggests Ruben Amorim has a new role in mind for Bruno Fernandes next season.
United have made an opening transfer offer worth £55million to Brentford; £45million guaranteed plus £10million with add-ons. However, that bid falls short of their asking price.
Talks are set to continue - with Mbeumo making it clear he wants to join United. The west London club is holding out for a fee similar to the £62.5million release clause that United will pay Wolves for Matheus Cunha.
Brentford believe they are similar players and, should both become teammates at United, appear set to play off a main striker for head coach Amorim in his preferred 3-4-3 formation next season. Cunha, seemingly, would operate from the left, with Mbeumo then coming in off the right.
Both could conceivably play as the centre-forward, but with the former coming in as a playmaker to accompany Liam Delap, before the England under-21 international signed for Chelsea, that was seemingly not their initial plan. Mbeumo has played as a striker, but more often in a 3-5-2 alongside another forward, such as Yoane Wissa.
Possibly adding Mbeumo on top of Cunha, the squad now has several options for their two attacking roles behind whoever their centre-forward will be. Amad and Mason Mount ended last season in those positions, but Fernandes filled one of those roles before those two returned from injury this spring.
However, with the added depth in that particular area, it appears the Portugal regular will more regularly play as a central midfielder rather than in a more advanced position next term. Last season was the most that Fernandes has played in such a deep role at United, a trend that will seemingly continue into Amorim's first full campaign.
That is, of course, if he stays put at the club this summer. Fernandes has turned down one proposal from Al-Hilal after seriously considering leaving United to join the Saudi Pro League side.
Amorim, however, said last month that he did not expect Fernandes to depart. "I don't know for sure; nobody knows," the United coach acknowledged in Hong Kong during the club's post-season tour. "But I don't think so.
"He is seeing us changing some actions to change all the things, and I think he wants to stay.
"He is saying no to a lot of things. But he shows that he wants to win.
"He is really hungry. He is really good. He needs to be in the best league in the world.
"I am the manager, the coach, sometimes this is the decisions of the player. Of course, I talk to him, I explain things, and I just have that feeling. When you talk to someone, you have that feeling if he wants to stay.
"Of course, in a lot of games, he is frustrated. He knows what we are doing. The feeling I get every time I speak with him is that he wants to continue for sure with United, but you never know."
Amorim also added: "Yes, I have a clear idea what we want. As you know, we are a bit limited, and we can't do it all in one summer. But there is a clear picture of what we want.
"Let's wait and see, but we have a clear picture of what we want next season."
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