Manchester United’s pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo is proving rather difficult.
The Red Devils have been linked with the Brentford forward — who scored 20 Premier League goals last season — all summer now as part of a much-needed rebuild following a dismal 2024-25 campaign.
Man Utd’s initial £45million plus add-ons approach was rejected by the Bees. But now they look set to come back with a second bid worth £60m.
Of course, there are no guarantees Brentford will accept that. And Thomas Frank’s to Tottenham Hotspur surely increases their chances of landing the Cameroon international.
So, with all the doubt that comes with such a high-profile pursuit, Man Utd may need a backup plan.
Who could they sign if a move for Mbeumo falls through? Let’s take a look at some options…
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Dream: Raphinha
Raphinha’s first two seasons at Barcelona were decent without being spectacular. However, his third campaign at Camp Nou was absolutely sensational.
The Brazil international notched a whopping 34 goals and 25 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions. His 13 in the Champions League was enough to tie him with Serhou Guirassy for the Golden Boot.
Raphinha produced a Squawka Score of 85% in the attacking midfielders/wingers category (league play only, 1,710+ minutes). That was bettered only by Ousmane Dembele (86%) and Michael Olise (91%) in Europe’s top five leagues.
That all sounds like a brilliant pitch, right? Well, the reasons for him being in the ‘dream’ category are pretty damning, not least the fact he has three years remaining on his contract. We can only guess what the fee would be.
Besides, who would want to leave Champions League semi-finalists and domestic double-winning Barcelona for a Man Utd side who would have been in a relegation battle last season were it not for the dreadful form of the bottom three?
Realistic: Antoine Semenyo or Eberechi Eze
Antoine Semenyo
For a while, Bournemouth looked in danger of securing their first-ever continental berth. But then the wheels fell off at the end of the season. However, that dip has done nothing to lessen the plaudits of Andoni Iraola or his players.
Antoine Semenyo has been front and centre of that praise after dropping 11 goals and six assists in the Premier League and 13 goals and seven assists across all competitions.
Semenyo’s Squawka Score of 66% is impressive, but it’s his directness and ability to cause mayhem around the box that makes him stand out. The Ghanaian was in the 80-95th percentile among Premier League wingers last season when it came to shots on target and touches in the opposition box per 90 minutes. His 3.51 shots per 90 put him in the top 5%.
The 25-year-old did slightly underperform his Expected Goals, and it’s true that his end product probably needs a little work. However, Semenyo is already a Premier League-proven menace. And , with all due respect, Bournemouth are a much more realistic club for Man Utd to buy from than Barcelona.
Eberechi Eze
Eberechi Eze indeed did secure European football with his club, scoring the winning goal as Crystal Palace won the FA Cup. That represents both their first-ever major trophy and the first time the Eagles will play in continental competition. Unless Uefa kick them out.
That, along with his 14 goals and 11 assists across all competitions and status within the England squad, puts Eze’s stock incredibly high right now. He’s quite simply one of the best forwards outside of the Champions League, and that’s helped by his 66% Squawka Score.
Eze reportedly has a release clause of £68m, which would help Man Utd bypass the sort of troublesome negotiations they’ve encountered with Mbeumo.
While Semenyo would probably be a better like-for-like Mbeumo alternative, Squawka suggests Man Utd go for Eze as the easier path forward. The only question is whether or not he’ll want to give up that long-awaited European adventure.
Wildcard: Xavi Simons
Xavi Simons is a player long linked with Man Utd and last summer, following his strong showing at Euro 2024, things hit fever pitch.
“I think Manchester United should target Xavi Simons,” said ex-Man Utd striker Louis Saha.
“He’s the sort of player who could have a huge impact at the club. He showed up during Euro 2024 and provides a great option in transition in midfield, as well as creating chances for his teammates.”
The main problem with any pursuit of Simons is the sheer number of clubs interested in him. At the time of writing, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United have all been linked with the Netherlands international. And that’s only taking the Premier League into consideration.
That’s sure to ramp up his price. As is his return of 21 goals and 23 assists in 76 appearances for RB Leipzig over the past two seasons. In fact, among wingers and attacking midfielders, only Olise (91%) and Florian Wirtz (80%) had a better Squawka Score (76%) in the Bundesliga.
Simons signed permanently for Leipzig in January but only has a contract through summer 2027. So there is a silver lining that the German outfit might see this summer as the best time to cash in one of their prized assets.
At just 22, Simons would offer great longevity, while his ability to play as a driving winger or creative No.10 offers unmatched versatility in his style. He may well be a perfect fit for Ruben Amorim’s system.