Former Manchester United and France striker Louis Saha has been discussing the best buys of the Premier League transfer window while also warning his old club to avoid signing Brazilian superstar Neymar on a free transfer.
Louis Saha has sang the praises of three newly recruited attackers. When asked to name the best summer signing in terms of impact this season, the Premier League goal king kept it in the strikers union and named a trio of talented attackers.
#1 Bryan Mbeumo, but special mentions for Ekitike and Woltemade
Speaking in a recent interview with Pundit Arena, Saha named Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo, 26, as the best summer capture. The Cameroonian international joined Ruben Amorim‘s team for a reported £71 million from Brentford, and has probably been United’s best player since joining, carrying on his stellar Bees form that saw the wide attacker become one of the most coveted attacking players in the world.
Saha said: “For me, the best signing is between Hugo Ekitike and Bryan Mbeumo. I think Woltemade has been brilliant too, I love him.
“I think those three have been the standout players so far, but I think that Mbeumo has probably been the very best of the three. He’s playing for a side that is in transition. Ekitike is playing for the league champions, and Woltemade arrived at a team that is in the Champions League. They both have their problems, of course, but I think United were in the toughest place at the start of the season.
“I’ve seen United struggle, and how hard it was for Mbeumo, and he’s done brilliantly to raise standards at the club and keep his own standards up.”
No go for Neymar
One eye-catching bit of tittle tattle from recent weeks saw Brazilian superstar Neymar linked with a free transfer to Manchester United. Neymar’s contract with boyhood club Santos expires in December, and with the attacker desperate to be involved at the World Cup with the Samba Boys, which given his fitness issues, will surely be his last chance to grace the biggest football stage on the planet, a move to the Premier League has been reported.
Saha thinks it would be a bad idea for Manchester United to entertain the idea, explaining: “If you asked me six months ago, I’d have loved Neymar at Manchester United. But right now, he seems fragile, or injured. Maybe he’s lost his spark.
“It’s sad, because I love Neymar. I thought a couple of years ago it’d have been a perfect move because he can still be an amazing player. He could really boost United with his inventiveness and talent.
“I think perhaps the way he has had his career guided needed to be challenged in the past. I don’t know how he can set about putting things right and rebuilding anymore. United need players who will sacrifice themselves for the team, who are in love with the club. I’m not sure Neymar is the man to offer that to United at this point in his career.”
The Essential Football verdict
It’s difficult to disagree with Saha’s transfer assessment. Mbeumo has been United’s Mr Reliable since he swapped London for Manchester. Granit Xhaka has to be in with a shout, and we’re also fans of big Nick Woltemade. Martin Zubimendi has also adjusted to life in the Premier League beautifully.
As for Neymar, if he joins a PL club when his deal expires, we’ll eat any hat that is sent our way.