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Manchester United’s new signing Bryan Mbeumo has described a key attacking goal for the Pink Devils as a “full striker” in an interview with Rio Ferdinand.
Repair the assault
United have prioritised a complete overhaul of Ruben Amorim’s misfiring ahead line after the membership endured its worst marketing campaign within the Premier League period final 12 months.
Ending in a dismal fifteenth place within the desk, United scored a paltry 44 instances throughout the season with solely Everton and the three relegated sides – Leicester Metropolis, Ipswich City and Southampton – returning fewer objectives.
The striker partnership of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee mixed for simply seven league objectives, regardless of costing greater than £100 million in switch charges throughout successive summer season home windows.
By comparability, Jamie Vardy, Leicester’s 38-year-old captain, scored 9 in whole whereas enjoying for a aspect destined for relegation earlier than a ball was kicked final season.
A 3-prong method was taken by United to enhance the assault with opening day provides made for Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton Wanderers) and Liam Delap (Ipswich), attributable to each forwards having launch clauses which eliminated any want to barter with their respective golf equipment.
However whereas the pursuit of Cunha proved profitable, with a £62.5 million deal agreed in June, Delap rebuffed United’s advances in favour of a transfer to Chelsea for £30 million.
This led the Pink Devils to modify focus to Mbeumo with Brentford’s attacking talisman having fun with one of the best marketing campaign of his profession final season with 20 objectives and eight assists within the league.
However the Bees proved tough, bordering on obstinate, negotiators for his or her prized asset and it took over seven weeks from United’s opening bid (£45m + £10m in add-ons) to the purpose Brentford accepted the ultimate supply, value a complete of £71m (£65m with £6m in add-ons).
Mbeumo was thought-about a key goal by Amorim, nonetheless, and United are believed to be quietly content material with the deal, given curiosity from elsewhere in England and costs paid for different gamers within the Premier League with far much less spectacular seasons than the Cameroon worldwide.
United have now turned focus again to a striker with each Cunha and Mbeumo focused to play as quantity tens in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system; the hunt for a brand new quantity 9 rumbles on.
After which there have been two
After the pursuit of first-choice goal Delap fell via, United made enquiries for Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP) and Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt).
However in the identical vein as Delap, each forwards in the end selected to affix the membership’s home rivals with Arsenal securing Gyokeres and Liverpool signing Ekitike.
This has now led to United’s want checklist for the quantity 9 place narrowing down to 2 remaining choices: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) and Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig).
Offers for each strikers are being explored and not using a clear indication on who’s favoured as they’ve contrasting profiles.
But when it was left as much as Mbeumo who he would associate up entrance at Previous Trafford subsequent season, the 25-year-old would seem very blissful to reunite together with his former teammate at Brentford, Watkins.
The pair shaped a formidable partnership within the Championship for the Bees, returning a complete of 41 objectives and 10 assists within the 2019/20 season, earlier than Watkins left the Gtech Group Stadium to affix Villa.
Talking in an interview with Ferdinand, Mbeumo was requested by the previous centre-back what Watkins was wish to have as a staff mate, each on an off the pitch.
“It was necessary to have a extremely good relationship [with Watkins]. I may have a chat with him after my English acquired higher. I feel he’s a whole striker. He can do a whole lot of issues, drop deep, go in behind. It’s actually good for me as a result of you need to use that area there. He can mix as effectively, actually good.”
The prospect of slotting Watkins alongside Mbeumo and Cunha, with all three gamers reaching double figures within the league final season, is a tantalising one for a membership so desperately starved of objectives and risk within the opposition field.
Featured picture David Rogers by way of Getty Photographs
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