Manchester United have been dealt a blow in their protracted bid to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford this summer as one Bees sale ‘would almost certainly rule out’ another.
The Red Devils have made just two signings so far this summer with Matheus Cunha arriving from Wolves after they triggered his £62.5m release clause, and Diego Leon joining from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno for £3.3m.
Ruben Amorim and the United board want widespread changes but are limited by their transfer budget as they struggle to find buyers for Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho.
Club chiefs have been fully focused on trying to secure the signing of Mbeumo from Brentford and have had two offers rejected for the Cameroon international, with the Bees holding out for £65m+ for their prized asset, who got 20 goals and eight assists in the Premier League last season and has made it clear he wants the move to Old Trafford.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano continues to insist the ‘deal is on’ as club-to-club talks continue and revealed a boost for United on Monday.
Romano wrote on X: ‘EXCL: Brentford are showing initial interest in Omari Hutchinson as possible replacement for Bryan Mbeumo in case of exit with Man Utd on it. Brentford appreciate Hutchinson but no club to club talks yet with Ipswich Town.’
But the long-drawn-out negotiations for Mbeumo may come back to bite United as Sky Sports claim one of Tottenham, Newcastle or Nottingham Forest could effectively hijack the transfer.
The Premier League trio are all interested in Mbeumo’s forward partner Yoane Wissa, with Forest’s £20m bid rejected last week after they saw a £22m bid rejected in January.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were reportedly told they need £50m for the Congo striker, who got 19 Premier League goals and five assists last term under Thomas Frank, who now wants him at Tottenham, while Eddie Howe wants another striker to compete and rotate with Alexander Isak.
It’s claimed Brentford are ‘highly unlikely to sell both Mbeumo and Wissa’ and that ‘whichever club agrees a deal for one would almost certainly rule out the sale of the other’.
The report adds:
‘Brentford selling Mbeumo and Wissa would be such a significant loss of goals and attacking talent that it would be near-impossible for the club to lose them.’
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Missing out on Mbeumo would be a huge blow for United, and Brentford director of football Phil Giles revealed earlier this month that the forward would be “happy to stay” if the Red Devils can’t get a deal across the line.
“There is significant interest in Bryan. His current preference has been well publicised,” Giles said.
“He had an unbelievable season, and we expected interest in him. From what I understand, he is also, if needs be, happy to stay at Brentford next year as well.
“We’ve spoken to Bryan and his representatives. It’s not a given that he’s going to depart this summer.
“If we get the right offer, there is the potential for a deal to be done, but there is only so much we can say now on that.”
