Spending 71 million pounds, what will MU get back from new player Mbeumo?

saveinstato-518920157-1274256251024820-8889138031590306628-n-1159.jpg

Five years ago, Brentford finished the 2019/20 Championship season in third place, but were the top scorers in the division with 80 goals. The holy trinity of strikers who made that achievement was Ollie Watkins (25 goals), Said Benrahma (17) and Bryan Mbeumo (15).

Unfortunately, none of the trio scored in the promotion play-off final and Brentford lost 2-1 to Fulham. That same summer, Watkins joined Aston Villa and Benrahma moved to West Ham, bringing Brentford around £30m. No one paid any attention to Mbeumo.

At that time, Mbeumo was only 20 years old and had just finished his first season in the Championship. Before that, he played for Troyes in the French 5th division (Championnat National 3). So it took time to verify more. Moreover, Brentford also needed the Cameroon striker in the process of rebuilding the team, nurturing the dream of playing in the Premier League.

Mbeumo scored 70 goals in six seasons for Brentford.

They were right. The following season, the Bees made the play-offs and secured promotion to the top flight for the first time since 1946/47. Although Ivan Toney was the main striker that season, as he would be for the next two seasons, Mbeumo was a key part of Brentford's tactical system.

When Toney left for Saudi Arabia, Yoane Wissa emerged as Brentford’s top scorer in 2023/24. But in 2024/25, Mbeumo’s talent really came to fruition. He scored 20 Premier League goals, one more than Wissa, and finished third in the league’s top scorer list.

This number is all the more impressive because Mbeumo rarely plays as a striker. He is mostly deployed on the right wing, where he can cut inside before unleashing a powerful left-footed shot. This is where it is worth noting that Mbeumo’s 20 goals were created by an expected goals ratio of just 12.26. That means many of his goals were scored from unlikely situations.

Mbeumo scores a lot of goals from unbelievable situations.

Now many people remember that in 2020, Brentford defender Pontus Jansson praised Mbeumo as better than Watkins and Benrahma, and would become a "great talent in the future". The basis for Jansson's belief, in addition to speed, technique, and left-footed shots like a sledgehammer, is also the Cameroonian player's efforts to improve. When he first joined Brentford, although his English was not good, he still tried to read the "emotional" and "from the heart" speech he wrote on his phone.

Now Jansson's prediction has come true. After six weeks of negotiations, United have finally made a third bid of £65m plus £6m in bonuses. Ruben Amorim is keen on Mbeumo to address his lack of goals, having scored just 44 last season. Along with Matheus Cunha, who cost £62.5m from Wolves, Mbeumo would make the Red Devils' attack formidable.

It is not yet clear where Mbeumo will play in Amorim's system, but he seems best suited to the right-sided position. However, he can also play on the wing, competing with Amad Diallo. It is worth remembering that last season Mbeumo also provided 7 assists.

Mbeumo's impressive stats and Premier League standings.

Another of Mbeumo's outstanding qualities is his leadership ability, bringing positive energy to the dressing room. He could change the toxic culture at United, where many players prefer to be famous on social media rather than focus on football, and always put their ego too high.

The 25-year-old has always been a popular and respected figure in the Brentford dressing room. He has avoided harmful pleasures, exercising his mind through chess and reading, in addition to his hobby of playing the piano. Mbeumo also motivates his teammates through his own ambition.

"I don't want to limit myself because I know I can go further," he told Telegraph Sport last season. This is really needed for United, a team that has lived in mediocrity for too long and needs to return to its former glory.