Man Utd target Mbeumo in £60m bid

Manchester United are aggressively addressing their goal-scoring deficiencies from last season with ambitious transfer moves. After securing Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha for £62.5m, the club has now turned its attention to Brentford's prolific attacker Bryan Mbeumo.

Manchester United's Pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo

Following an initial £45m bid rejection in June, United have returned with an improved offer exceeding £60m for the Cameroonian international. This potential signing raises important questions about what Mbeumo could bring to Old Trafford.

Analyzing Mbeumo's Breakout Season

The 25-year-old enjoyed his most productive campaign yet, netting 20 Premier League goals - a tally surpassed only by Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak, and Erling Haaland. However, this represents a significant departure from his previous output:

• Scored 8-9 goals per season in his first three Premier League campaigns
• Recorded 16 goals in the Championship (2019-20)
• Managed 11 goals in Ligue 2 (2018-19)

Advanced metrics suggest caution - Mbeumo outperformed his expected goals (xG) by a remarkable 7.7 (12.3 xG vs 20 actual goals), a feat rarely sustained season-to-season.

The Challenge of Repeating Overperformance

Mbeumo isn't alone in this statistical anomaly. New teammate Matheus Cunha also significantly exceeded his xG last season (15 goals from 8.6 xG). Historical data shows:

• Only 14 players have outperformed xG by ≥5 goals in the past 5 seasons
• Son Heung-min is the only player to achieve this multiple times

Mbeumo's Versatile Skill Set

Beyond goalscoring, Mbeumo offers:

• Preferred right-sided attacking role (complementing Cunha on the left)
• Ability to play centrally when needed
• Exceptional involvement in build-up play (leads in touches/90 among 15+ goal scorers)
• Elite ball-carrying and chance creation (led Premier League in expected assists with 9.3 xA)

The Pressure of Manchester United's Needs

Mbeumo transitions from a Brentford side where scoring responsibility was shared (Yoane Wissa scored 19) to a United team whose top league scorers managed just 8 goals each (Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo). This move represents both opportunity and pressure for the Cameroonian forward.

As United look to rebound from their worst Premier League campaign (record-low 44 goals), the potential additions of Cunha and Mbeumo signal an ambitious attacking overhaul under Ruben Amorim's leadership.