Manchester United's ideal £45m Mbeumo alternative as Brentford deal nears collapse - opinion

Nothing is ever straightforward with Manchester United these days, especially in the transfer market – and their drawn-out attempt to sign Bryan Mbeumo is no exception. A deal which seemed like it was just a few fine details away from being confirmed now seems to be in danger of stalling completely.

The Guardian have reported that Brentford have unexpectedly increased their valuation to £5m and that United have pushed back. Negotiations have gone from preparing a medical all the way back to square one, and it isn’t yet clear whether the deal will be resurrected or not.

For United, however, that may not necessarily be the worst outcome – and there’s at least one player on their summer shortlist who might address Ruben Amorim’s needs much more precisely… and would cost rather less money into the bargain.

Why Bryan Mbeumo’s move to Manchester United never made perfect sense

Beyond the obvious fact that Mbeumo is a very fine player, Manchester United’s interest in the winger never really made complete sense – not least because the club don’t even play with true wingers under Amorim.

The Cameroon international may well be just as impactful in a slightly more central role but it always seemed like a curiosity that United would expend so much money and energy to purchase a winger when they play with one central striker and two narrower ‘number ten’-style players in supporting roles, who typically operate down the channels rather than out towards the touchline.

United also have plenty of firepower in those supporting positions since the arrival of Matheus Cunha, who is at his best in a deeper role. The former Wolves man will already be splitting minutes with Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee, and adding Mbeumo into the mix seemed like a questionable use of limited transfer funds given the glaring needs in other positions.

It's possible, of course, that Amorim and United’s transfer team envision Cunha as the answer up front and thought that Mbeumo and Fernandes would be ideally suited to the deeper roles. It may even prove to be a fine plan. But given that what United needed more than anything else last season was a proven goalscorer, a striker that can make the most out of all those half-chances in the box, Mbeumo seemed like a slightly awkward fit.

That’s especially true considering that this is a club that have made plenty of fuss about their financial limitations and have taken extreme (and extremely unpopular) measures to cut costs in seemingly petty ways right around Old Trafford. Spending £65m on a luxury signing like Mbeumo, given the circumstances, would not be a great look and may not help the apparently precarious financial health of the team as a whole.

As a result, if the Mbeumo deals falls though it may be no worse than a mild embarrassment in the long haul – and the club’s shortlist also includes at least one forward who feels like a better fit for the team’s tactical needs and would likely come in about £20m cheaper. That’s the kind of money a team with financial issues can spend on a midfielder…

Manchester United should follow up on their interest in Jean-Philippe Mateta

Several journalists and media outlets, including Fabrizio Romano and TNT Sports, have at various points in the transfer window suggested that United have the 28-year-old Crystal Palace striker firmly on their shortlist, even if it was suspected that it was unlikely that they would sign both Mateta and Mbeumo in the same window.

Palace don’t particularly want to lose Mateta, who has scored 30 Premier League goals in the past two seasons, but negotiations over a new contract which started about a month ago seem not have born fruit. The player, meanwhile, is said to believe he has a chance of making France’s squad for the 2026 World Cup and may push to play for a more high-profile side if the opportunity presents itself.

TNT Sports reckon that £45m should be enough to persuade Palace to part with their leading scorer, and he surely offers United the kind of player that they’ve needed for some time – a physical penalty area presence who scores in volume and in the kind of tight situations that Mateta can thrive in. In other words, Mateta is the player that United had hoped they would get when they bought Rasmus Højlund.

Having him up top would free Cunha up to play the deeper role in which he is at his very best, and would give the wing-backs a target for their crosses. United spent plenty of time probing in and around the opposing box last season, but never seemed to find ways to apply the finishing touch. Mateta, a fine finisher who knows how to squeeze half a yard out of his marker, would likely greatly increase United’s efficiency in the final third.

There are plenty of other problems in Amorim’s squad, of course, but none are so acute as the lack of goals. Only four teams scored less frequently in the Premier League last season – the three that got relegated and Everton. Improving the midfield and tightening up the defence won’t mean much if United don’t have someone scoring the goals.

Cunha will help, and if they do sign Mbeumo then he will add something to the attack too. But having quality players in supporting roles only goes so far if they are playing behind and around a central striker who lacks confidence or just quality. Mateta is just what United need, and if the Mbeumo deal does indeed collapse, presents a Plan B that may be better than the first idea they had.