Manchester United is said to have found two strong alternatives to Bryan Mbeumo this summer, amid concerns of Tottenham Hotspur potentially poaching the talented Brentford winger. The 25-year-old forward has garnered significant interest following a remarkable season, where he recorded 20 goals and nine assists, averaging a contribution every 123.3 minutes on the field. With just one year remaining on his contract with Brentford, although the club has an extension option until 2043, Mbeumo has become a sought-after player this summer. Despite signing Matheus Cunha, United has had two offers for Mbeumo turned down, the latest being a £50m upfront payment with an additional £10m in bonuses. After Tottenham appointed former Brentford manager Thomas Frank the previous week, they entered the bidding for Mbeumo, surpassing United’s offer with a guaranteed £65m plus £5m in add-ons. Although reports suggest Mbeumo prefers Old Trafford, connections to Frank and Spurs’ enhanced bid have led United to explore other options. According to ESPN, Ruben Amorim is advocating for consideration of Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze and another Tottenham-linked player, Antoine Semenyo. Both players would likely cost similar amounts as Mbeumo and could effectively play as No.10s in Amorim’s system, which emphasizes versatility in wider positions. It’s worth noting that Eze had an outstanding season at Palace, scoring the only goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City in May, which helped secure a spot in the Europa League. The 26-year-old England player scored 14 goals and made 11 assists in a total of 43 matches for Palace last season, marking his highest direct goal contributions in five seasons in the top league. His versatility to play on the left side or centrally aligns well with Amorim’s tactics, but Eze’s departure is contingent upon the £68 million release clause being activated. Meanwhile, Tottenham had already initiated interest in Semenyo from Bournemouth before hiring Frank, which has left their pursuit of Mbeumo uncertain. This situation creates an opportunity for United to target Semenyo, who netted 13 goals and contributed to seven others during the 2024/25 season for a Bournemouth team that secured a commendable ninth place in the Premier League.
