Mbeumo Has Done What No United Player Has in Over a Decade
Bryan Mbeumo bagged 20 league goals last season, a tally no Manchester United player has touched since Robin van Persie in 2012-13. In fact, United’s top scorers across recent seasons haven’t even come close. While others brought in from abroad have flopped, Mbeumo has proven he can deliver consistently in the Premier League.
For a club that’s spent heavily on strikers who couldn’t adapt, this stat alone sets Mbeumo apart.
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He’s Been Premier League-Ready for Years
Unlike previous signings from abroad, Mbeumo has already done the hard yards. He joined Brentford back in 2019, when they were still in the Championship, and grew with the club, adapting year by year. From the second tier to the Premier League, he’s matured into a complete forward.
He understands the pace, intensity, and physicality of English football better than most of United's past imports.
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His Output Isn’t a One-Off, But a Pattern
Across Brentford’s three Premier League seasons before his 20-goal breakthrough, Mbeumo had already contributed 43 goal involvements. He was consistent long before this recent breakout. Plus, in the Championship, he played a key part in getting Brentford promoted. 18 and 23 G/A seasons back-to-back in the lower tier are no flukes.
Injury-prone forwards have haunted Old Trafford for years, but Mbeumo is different. He played all of Brentford’s league games last season, and started 36 and 34 games in the two seasons before that.
You can bank on him showing up, unlike the high-profile names who’ve spent more time in rehab than on the pitch. In a league as brutal as England’s, durability matters, and Mbeumo delivers.
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A Fit for Amorim’s Demands
Ruben Amorim has made it clear that United’s problem isn’t tactics, it’s intensity. He’s been vocal about the Premier League's physical edge compared to Europe. Mbeumo fits this demand like a glove.
He’s mobile, aggressive in pressing, sharp in transition, and finishes with both feet. His style aligns perfectly with Amorim’s system, unlike some of United’s recent square-peg-in-round-hole signings.
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So What’s the Catch? It’s the £71m Fee
This might be the smartest attacking signing United have made in years, but the price tag doesn’t reflect that logic. Brentford held out for £71m, and United blinked first. While Mbeumo fits the need, he hasn’t been cheap.
Just like with Sancho, Antony, Hojlund, and others, United are paying Premier League tax. Whether he lives up to the fee or becomes another overpriced gamble, only time will tell.
