‘Man United handed transfer warning as Bryan Mbeumo deal nears completion’
Manchester United have finally made a breakthrough in their efforts to sign Bryan Mbeumo, but the transfer comes with a warning.
Mbeumo enjoyed a stunning 2024/25 campaign, hitting 20 goals and eight assists in 38 Premier League appearances to help Brentford finish 10th.
That form attracted the attention of Tottenham and Man United, though the latter quickly emerged as the major frontrunner for his signature.
After a drawn-out negotiation process that even led to United being trolled by Domino’s Pizza, the Red Devils finally reached a £70million agreement with Brentford, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Man United given Bryan Mbeumo warning
Mbeumo joins Matheus Cunha as the second major attacking signing of the summer for United, who scored just 44 Premier League goals last season.
Mbeumo and Cunha netted 35 league goals combined last season, so the hope is that they’ll seriously upgrade Ruben Amorim’s forward line.
| 2024/25 Premier League stats | Bryan Mbeumo | Matheus Cunha |
| Appearances | 38 | 33 |
| Goals | 20 | 15 |
| Assists | 8 | 6 |
However, former Blackburn and Chelsea striker Chris Sutton has offered a warning based on United spending big fees on players from ‘non-world-beating’ clubs.
“It is interesting because we are talking about Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo coming to Man United from Wolves and Brentford and, with respect, they are not signing either players from world-beating clubs,” Sutton told BBC.
“Neither player is cheap at more than £60m either, but they are not world superstars either. They have looked at Mbeumo and they think he is going to perform the same way he has been for Brentford. I don’t want to go down the numbers route and say he has been a 7/10 every week, but that’s what he was, at the very least, for Brentford, if you look at what he has done for them last season.”
Christopher Nkunku next for Man United?
Mbeumo and Cunha have the potential to breathe new life into United’s attack, but many will feel they need even more — especially with the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund linked with moves away.
Now, United’s attention may turn to Christopher Nkunku.
The France international has struggled for fitness and consistency since joining Chelsea from RB Leipzig in 2023. However, he’s still managed 18 goals and five assists in 62 appearances for the Londoners, following on from 70 goals and 56 assists in 172 games in Germany.
Man United have been tipped to make a move for Nkunku, who is thought to be one of many Chelsea players up for sale this summer, according to former Everton and Aston Villa chief Keith Wyness.
“I do expect him to go,” Wyness told Football Insider of Nkunku. “I think this is the case that Chelsea have got an embarrassment of riches, so to speak, and they’ve got a lot of players that they need to whittle down that squad in some way.
“I think Nkunku is one that will be off. He is not fitting into Maresca’s vision right now, so I do expect him to go.”