Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo has been identified as Manchester United’s next target in the summer transfer window
Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo could miss a big portion of Man United’s 2025/26 season if he signs for them(Image: Getty Images)
Should Manchester United complete the signing of Bryan Mbeumo this summer, they could be without him for a whopping ten matches through no fault of their own.
MEN Sport reported on Thursday that an initial offer had been placed to Brentford for Mbeumo, who scored 20 goals last season. The initial offer of £45 million, plus £10m in add-ons, is thought to be below the Bees’ asking price but negotiations between the two clubs are ongoing.
Despite playing most of the season as a right-sided winger, it is likely the 25-year-old would be able to adapt to Ruben Amorim’s system having played centrally as well.
Unfortunately for United, should he sign for the club, they could be forced to wave goodbye to him for as many as ten matches in the middle of the campaign.
This is due to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which takes place between December 21 in Morocco and runs until January 18. Mbeumo’s national team, Cameroon, have qualified for the tournament and will face Gabon on Christmas Eve, Ivory Coast on December 28 and Mozambique on New Year’s Eve.
Exact dates for matches over the Christmas period will be announced in due course but this season, United played three matches over the festive season which cover the span of the group stages of AFCON. If Cameroon were to advance all the way to the final, it could be as many as ten matches that Mbeumo would miss.
Bryan Mbeumo will be with Cameroon for AFCON
What’s more alarming is that Mbeumo’s natural replacement, Amad, would also be unavailable due to his own likely participation in AFCON for the Ivory Coast. This tournament was expected to be played this summer, however FIFA bumped it to the winter due to their newly-expanded Club World Cup.
With participation in that tournament in the United States apparently taking priority, it was seen as appropriate to move AFCON to later in the calendar. Due to the importance of the tournament, United would be unable to prevent Mbeumo from joining his national team if he was to be selected.
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