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Man Utd could secure Bryan Mbeumo transfer discount with difficult decision.
Manchester United are in the midst of a big summer, with Ruben Amorim eager to make his mark on the squad he inherited from Erik ten Hag last November.
It has undoubtedly been a challenging year for the Red Devils, who struggled throughout their Premier League campaign and suffered the ultimate heartbreak in May’s Europa League final, losing to Tottenham. For Amorim, a degree of rebuilding is essential if United are to gain momentum, and the wheels are already in motion, with Matheus Cunha’s arrival from Wolves confirmed.
Since then, attention has turned firmly towards securing Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. The Cameroon international has emerged as a top target for United, but so far, no agreement has been reached with the London club over a deal to bring him to Old Trafford.
Interestingly, Brentford’s sporting director, Phil Giles, has spoken publicly about the negotiations with United, insisting that Mbeumo’s departure is far from guaranteed. His comments reinforce the club’s stance that any deal will depend entirely on the right offer being made.
“We’ve spoken to Bryan and his representatives, and it’s not a given that he’s going to depart this summer,” Giles told Sky Sports on Monday. “If we get the right offer, then there’s potentially a deal to be done.
“From what I understand, he’d be happy to stay at Brentford next year as well. Let’s see what happens. He had an outstanding season and we expected interest in him, and if the deal’s right, there’s a deal to do.”
United’s most recent bid, in excess of £60 million, was rejected by Brentford last week, so whether a deal can be completed before players return for pre-season training next week remains to be seen. Yet, the current gap in valuation may force United to consider shelving their interest – at least temporarily.
While Mbeumo has just 12 months left on his contract, Brentford hold an option to trigger a one-year extension, effectively making it two years. If the player is happy to stay at the Gtech Community Stadium, as the club’s sporting director suggests, should a move not materialise, Brentford are under little pressure to compromise – especially if they’re not dealing with a player desperate to leave.
From United’s perspective, it’s understandably in their best interests to secure their key targets this summer. Amorim will need all the tools available if he’s to revitalise a squad that vastly underperformed last season.
That said, if United are either unwilling or unable to meet Brentford’s valuation, they may be forced to show patience – potentially waiting six, or more likely twelve, months.
Next summer, should Brentford trigger the one-year extension, Mbeumo would enter the final year of his contract. United could then return to the table with increased negotiating power, as the player would no longer command the same fee.
They could well land Mbeumo for a reduced price, but it’s equally valid to argue that the cost of missing out on him this summer may outweigh the financial savings of waiting a year. All United fans can do now is wait and hope that one of the club’s top targets follows Cunha through the door, and plays a key role in reshaping the attack next season.
