Following Bryan Mbeumo’s scintillating 2024-25 Premier League season with Brentford, there was only one question on everyone’s mind last summer: Manchester United or Tottenham?
Manchester United pursued Bryan Mbeumo and the Red Devils landed the 26-year-old French-born attacker with their third bid to Premier League side Brentford.
Before Man Utd’s acquisition of Mbeumo last July for an initial £65m fee, there was a hint that Tottenham could tempt the former Brentford ace to move to London.
After all, Tottenham did appear to have some enticing leverage after former Bees manager Thomas Frank was appointed the head coach of Spurs last summer.
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Michael Carrick with Bryan Mbeumo during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, in 2026.
Photo by Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images
What is the reason behind Bryan Mbeumo’s form for Manchester United?
He's not been at his best recently😳
Bryan Mbeumo looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford in 2026 in Manchester, England.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Bryan Mbeumo’s form has taken a hit at Man Utd, but at least the former Brentford ace has avoided Tottenham’s troubles
Bryan Mbeumo has impressed in his debut season at Old Trafford and the Manchester United ace has netted 10 times in 25 matches across all competitions.
However, the Cameroon international’s form has been hit or miss in recent weeks since Michael Carrick was appointed interim head coach for the Red Devils.
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Mbeumo netted three times in his first four matches under United legend Michael Carrick, who had deployed him as the lone forward in his tactical set-up.
While the former Brentford star has not found the back of the net in his last four fixtures under Carrick, Mbeumo has picked up two assists for the Red Devils.
Mbeumo’s role has been swapped up in the last two matches, with the Cameroon attacker reverting to the right-winger position to accommodate Benjamin Sesko.
No matter how sporadic Mbeumo’s form has been across the last eight Premier League matches, the United player’s decision to snub Spurs has paid off for him.
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10 goals already… how many will Bryan Mbeumo end up with this season?
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Bryan Mbeumo is challenging for Champions League with Man Utd and avoiding the Premier League relegation threat of Spurs
Would Tottenham be in a relegation fight if Mbeumo had signed for them? Would Thomas Frank still be Spurs manager if Tottenham beat United to Mbeumo?
There are so many ‘what ifs,’ both positive and negative, that could be brought up around Mbeumo being at relegation-threatened Tottenham in the 2025-26 season.
Mbeumo is in the top half of the Premier League table with United and there is a real sense that the Red Devils could secure Champions League football for next season.
Sure, the former Troyes player could have been playing in the Champions League with Spurs this season, but at the risk of experiencing a torrid league campaign.
Mbeumo’s blip in form is temporary; what would have been disastrous if the Man Utd summer signing were staring down the barrel of relegation with Spurs now.
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