Bryan Mbeumo finds himself at the centre of a hotly contested battle for his skills, with Tottenham and Manchester United vying for the Brentford forward's signature. As United want him as their next £60million summer acquisition following Matheus Cunha from Wolves, Tottenham are also aiming to sway Mbeumo with the imminent appointment of his current coach.
Thomas Frank is reportedly keen to bring Mbeumo to Spurs and the Cameroon ace faces a crossroads: the lure of Old Trafford or the prospect of Champions League action and a familiar face in Frank at Spurs. In an unexpected twist, ex-United goalkeeper Ben Foster has given his verdict, advising Mbeumo to move to Tottenham. On his Fozcast podcast, he argued that Mbeumo's growth and ambitious drive would best flourish under Frank's Spurs next season.
"I would say that if you want to be part of something that's going to make you a better footballer and work hard and be part of a team, then go to Spurs with Thomas Frank," said Foster.
"If you are happy picking up your wages knowing that there's going to be an awful lot more pressure, a lot more eyes on you, a lot more judgement and failure is just part of what they do, then you'd go to Manchester United."
Mbeumo has turned heads across the Premier League after netting 20 league goals last season, with his seven assists also crucial in Brentford's impressive top-half finish. Despite Newcastle's failed attempt to secure his services in January, the forward remains a hot commodity.
United have tabled two offers for Mbeumo, who has decided that he wants to move to Old Trafford despite the club's shaky start to life under Ruben Amorim. However, with no agreement yet reached with Brentford, Tottenham could swoop in and outpace their rivals for his signature, albeit a Spurs move is thought to be unlikely.
Ex-England goalkeeper Foster has thrown his support behind Mbeumo, predicting he'll make waves wherever he lands next term.
"I'm not questioning Bryan Mbeumo about his ability, about his mentality or about what he's like as a person," Foster added. "There's nothing to show me that I should have any worries about it. Whoever he goes and plays for, I think he would improve them and he gets into the starting line-up.
"He's got a proven record of being fit and scoring goals. He could get into pretty much all of the 20 Premier League teams and I think he starts, that's how good I think Bryan Mbeumo is."
Mbeumo has a year remaining on his contract at Brentford, with the possibility of an additional year. United's proposal is reportedly valued at approximately £150,000-a-week for the player, increasing to £200,000-a-week with add-ons, while Spurs are willing to offer him a basic package of around £130,000-a-week.