Man Utd still haven’t signed Bryan Mbeumo.
It’s the middle of July and despite David Ornstein announcing Man Utd’s agreement of personal terms with Bryan Mbeumo at the beginning of June, the Cameroon international remains a Brentford player.
Man Utd have allegedly been haggling with Brentford over the amount of money they want to pay Brentford, and the two sides remain far apart in their valuation. This was clear at the start of June, but United did not act decisively to get things done quickly.
Now Man Utd’s pre-season has begun, as has Brentford’s, and there is still no sign of the deal being done and, despite needing a revolution, Matheus Cunha remains the only new signing the club have provided for Ruben Amorim.
There are so many players Man Utd could have acted decisively to sign in the six weeks they’ve wasted haggling over Bryan Mbeumo. FootballTransfers have come up with 10 men who could help Ruben Amorim resurrect Man Utd.
Eberechi Eze
It’s bizarre that Eberechi Eze has managed to reach 27 years of age and still playing for Crystal Palace. With the greatest of respect to the Eagles, he has more talent than that!
While Mbeumo’s goalscoring outstrips Eze’s, the Englishman is a great dribbler and creator and would ably assist Matheus Cunha and whoever is playing up-front.
He is a peak age player like Mbeumo is, has just won the FA Cup for Palace (big games don’t phase him) and has that coveted attribute of being “Premier League proven.”
Sure, he’d have cost something like €60 million, but the deal could have been done and Man Utd could have had themselves an absolute baller.
Ritsu Doan
Sticking with the theme of peak age players, Japanese international Ritsu Doan would be an incredibly savvy pick-up.
Doan just turned 27 and has been at SC Freiburg since 2022. A left-footed right-winger, Doan just put together a season with 10 goals and 7 assists.
Doan isn’t “Prem proven” but Kaoru Mitoma has shown Japanese wingers are not to be understimated, and with his price rumoured to be a meagre €20 million this was a risk United could have easily taken.
Maghnes Akliouche
A tricky left-footed right-winger, Maghnes Akliouche is full of quality dribbling and the kind of perceptive passing that would make him a huge threat in that no. 10 role.
Akliouche being left-footed would allow him to create the kind of dovetailing double-teams with Amad that Man Utd clearly were interested in Mbeumo doing.
At 24 years-old, Akliouche is ready for a move to the big time and could have lit Old Trafford up with his skill and creativity. He’d cost a lot, but could be a superstar in Manchester. Alas, United would rather haggle for Mbeumo.
Enzo Millot
Another left-footed right-winger, Enzo Millot is a player who exudes the “it factor” – everything he does has incredible style and panache.
Millot’s dribbling ability is begging to be used more, his passing is so perceptive and he is an explosive finisher when given the chance.
Put him in a team like Man Utd’s and, at the age of 24, he could explode in a way few are be ready for. With a rumoured release clause of just €18 million, United should have made a move to play him opposite Matheus Cunha.
Lucas Chevalier
Man Utd could have signed more than just other attacking midfielders all this time. In fact if they had picked up someone cheaper than Mbeumo, like Doan or Millot, they could have spent a fair bit of money on a replacement!
Like, say, €40 million on one of the best young goalkeepers in Europe? Lucas Chevalier, in addition to having an incredible name, is a superb shot-stopper and would have been a huge improvement over Andre Onana.
Alas, Man Utd didn’t move and now Man City are rumoured to be interested the price is about to jump out of their range (if he’d even want to come now if City are an option).
Senne Lammens
The hype has yet to fully hit Senne Lammens, the gigantic young Belgian goalkeeper. No major side is really circling around him yet, so while a smart United could have already tied him up, Man Utd could still pick him up for relatively cheap.
Emi Martinez
At the complete opposite end of the spectrum, World Cup and Copa America winner Emi Martinez is available this summer as he wants to move on from Aston Villa.
Goal.com reports he has a €25 million release clause, which would make him nice and cheap, and would provide the kind of leadership, big game experience and mentality that Man Utd are missing right now.
Martinez is definitely not as good at club level as he is for his country, but goodness is he ever better than Andre Onana.
Victor Osimhen
Yes, he’d cost €75 million which is more than Mbeumo.
Yes, he’d demand €12 million net a year in wages which just about what Mohamed Salah earns and ridiculous for a club like United to pay.
But goodness gracious, he’s Victor Osimhen! One of the top five strikers on the planet! He was born to score goals! Put him at the head of the United side and, playing just one game a week, Man Utd would be genuine contenders for the Premier League title.
But no, United focused on Mbeumo, and now Osimhen is likely going to Galatasaray.
Moise Kean
Ok so you don’t want to pay the megabucks for Osimhen, how about Moise Kean? The Fiorentina striker isn’t the best in the world but he’s damn sure better than Rasmus Hojlund (at least right now, until Hojlund figures it all out).
Kean is simply a reliable goalscorer. United could have picked him up for a fair price, stuck him at the head of the team and watched a respectable goal total pile up.
Jonathan Burkardt
The Mainz captain, 25 year-old Jonathan Burkardt is going to be one of the biggest “what-if’s” of this transfer window for so, so many clubs.
The German international has fully recovered from the ACL injury that robbed him of two years of his development. He scored 17 goals in the Bundesliga last season and plays very much like a smaller version of Erling Haaland, a true poacher.
And Man Utd could have signed him for just €23 million. Think about that! For about the same as they offered for Mbeumo, United could have signed Burkardt and Chevalier to properly fix the holes they had in goal and up-front. Throw in an extra €18 million and they have had added Millot to fill the role Mbeumo was meant to take too!
Instead, they spent six weeks (and counting) haggling over Mbeumo. Now Chevalier is probably going to join Man City, Millot remains unclaimed and Burkardt has joined Eintracht Frankfurt, who are about to flip Hugo Ekitike for about €80-100 million despite him scoring less Bundesliga goals (15) than Burkardt.
Some clubs are smart, some clubs are rich, then there’s Man Utd, who are neither.
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