Manchester United’s move for Bryan Mbeumo has been dragging on for weeks now, and the feeling around the club is one of quiet confidence mixed with frustration.
Negotiations with Brentford have hit a series of roadblocks, and the deal now looks likely to stretch into July.
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Despite that, there’s belief on both sides that an agreement will eventually be reached.
United’s most recent offer of £62.5m was turned down (£55m plus £7.5m in add-ons), and while the clubs aren’t far apart on price, there’s still work to be done.
Brentford have indicated they want the up-front portion of the fee to be at least £60m, pushing the total guaranteed payment over the threshold United have so far offered.
Even so, the situation looks set to get resolved sooner rather than later.
Mbeumo has made it clear he wants the move, and nobody else is in the race.
United are working to finalise the agreement in time to have Mbeumo involved in pre-season preparations.
How Manchester United are feeling about Bryan Mbeumo deal
United are eager to have Mbeumo sorted quickly. They see him as key to Ineos’ strategy for revamping the attack and adding more depth across the front line.
The strong interest in Jeremy Doku earlier this month showed just how central the right-wing role is to United’s rebuilding plans. After failing to land Doku, they shifted their focus to Mbeumo — and the club didn’t waste much time chasing the Cameroon international, because he fit all their criteria from the start.
Mbeumo is seen as more reliable when it comes to injuries, which was part of why United believed the second £52m offer for Doku would eventually get accepted — but Mbeumo fits even better.
Could Bryan Mbeumo become one of Manchester United’s most expensive signings?
The fee for Mbeumo has risen since initial links, and it’s set to put him among the top transfer fees in United’s history.
Mbeumo is expected to earn around £150,000 a week at United, which fits well within the current structure.
But where will his transfer fee rank among the club’s most expensive signings?
Based on the current bid, Mbeumo would rank as the seventh most expensive signing in United’s history. But if the final agreement rises above the current offer, he could easily move up to sixth, just behind Rasmus Hojlund (£64m).
There may still be a hold-up before July, but there’s belief within United that this is going to get over the line.
If United do wrap up the deal, it’ll be one the club feels is vital for their rebuild — and worth every penny.
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