Antoine Semenyo vs Bryan Mbeumo: Who should Man United sign? | OneFootball

Premier League proven.

That is the mantra dictating recruitment at Old Trafford this summer as Manchester United begins plans to comprehensively overhaul Ruben Amorim’s squad after the club’s worst season in the Premier League era.

Under Amorim’s predecessor, Erik ten Hag, the Red Devils operated under an approach of ‘Going Dutch’ in the transfer market with the former Ajax manager consistently choosing to target players he knew from Holland.

The club’s co-owner and ruler of the football operation at Old Trafford, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, even acknowledged this approach in a candid interview earlier in the season, revealing Ten Hag’s influence was why “one or two Dutch players” were signed last summer.

But where the Dutch manager chose to shop in a grocery store he knew well, Amorim appears ready to buy from one specific supermarket – the Premier League.

As relayed by The Peoples Person last week, United will “focus” on targeting players with Premier League experience as the club attempts to move away from signings who struggle to adapt to the rigours of English football.

Similarly, Amorim has implored Old Trafford officials to prioritise “pace and power” in new recruits with the Portuguese coach believing his squad lacks the physicality to succeed in the Premier League, as reporter by ESPN.

And it’s this combination of alliterative requirements – pace, power, physicality, and Premier League pedigree – which led United to land on Wolverhampton Wanderers’ forward Matheus Cunha and Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap as their primary targets. Two players with these attributes in abundance.

But while a pursuit of Cunha proved successful, with an agreement reached with the Brazilian international over a £62.5 million switch, United’s advances for Delap failed with Chelsea set to finalise a deal for the England U-21 international instead.

However, two more targets were identified at Old Trafford – Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) and Antoine Semenyo (AFC Bournemouth) – and the Red Devils could accelerate plans to sign either winger now in the wake of Delap’s rejection.

But which one should they target? Let’s dive in.

A Comparison

Both players possess speed and strength with a wealth of experience in English football. At 25 years of age,  both are optimally primed for a big-money transfer as they are set to enter their peak years.

Both players are best deployed as wingers but retain the positional versatility to play elsewhere on the pitch. Both represent countries in Africa – Mbeumo playing for Cameroon and Semenyo for Ghana – meaning the African Cup of Nations poses the same issue by signing either player.

And they have both enjoyed the best campaigns of their respective careers this season.

It’s evident, therefore, why United have identified both as targets this summer now that ‘Going Premier League’ governs recruitment at Old Trafford. But Mbeumo and Semenyo are distinct players in their own right with differing strengths and weaknesses.

The financial realities of agreeing deals for either winger differs as well – an important consideration given the limited budget United have to operate with this summer.

On the Ball vs Off the Ball

Put simply, Mbeumo is a better goal-scorer than Semenyo.

The Brentford winger has returned 20 goals and seven assists in the Premier League for the Bees this year – only Mohammed Salah, Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak have scored more.

While many predicted Thomas Frank’s side would struggle in the absence of Ivan Toney, who joined Al-Ahli last summer, Mbeumo has taken on the mantle of being the team’s talisman and thrived in the English striker’s absence.

Semenyo, by comparison, has scored 11 times and provided five assists in the league for Bournemouth – a significant decrease. But the Ghanaian plays as a wide midfielder in Andoni Iraola’a 4-4-2 system while Mbeumo is almost an inside forward for Brentford in a 4-3-3, operating much closer to the opposition goal.

Semenyo also does not take penalties while Mbeumo has scored five from the spot this season. If you swapped these goals around, Semenyo would even be one ahead of the Brentford winger.

This does not detract from Mbeumo’s ability, however, as it requires skill and composure to be your side’s selected penalty taker, but it is an important consideration when comparing the two players’ output. Semenyo has also hit the woodwork the most times in the league this season – joint level with Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.

Both players are skilled on the ball and adroit in possession. Mbeumo is a more clinical winger while Semenyo is a better dribbler. Mbeumo is more creative than Semenyo, but Semenyo is more tactically flexible than Mbeumo. Both possess a strong work ethic as each player’s manager demands hard yards from every member of their respective sides, regardless of position.

But the areas where Semenyo trumps his Premier League rival are in terms of physicality – a requirement Amorim has demanded United prioritise this summer – and being ambipedal (two footed).

Semenyo stands almost 6’1, possessing an almost outrageously powerful build for a winger, while Mbeumo is around 5’7. Both players are fast, with Mbeumo’s top speed ranking higher than Semenyo, but the fact that the Bournemouth winger is still moving rapidly despite being significantly larger is arguably more impressive.

And it’s this potent pairing of pace and physicality which the enables Semenyo to be a monster on and off the ball.

The 25-year-old winger has won possession in the opposition half the most out of any player in the league this season while he places second for successful duels, as per the Premier League’s website. He has also completed the third most dribbles, demonstrating skill with the ball once he wins it.

Semenyo ranks in the 98th percentile for blocks, 85th for clearances, and 74th for tackles amongst wingers in Europe’s top five leagues. He also clocks in the 95th percentile for successful aerial duels, demonstrating why his imposing frame is so useful.

Mbeumo, by comparison, ranks in the 94th percentile for clearances but 78th for aerial duels, 49th for tackles and just 29th for blocks.

Again, both wingers play in different systems and Semenyo’s berth as a traditional wide midfielder will lend itself to accumulating better defensive stats, while Mbeumo’s role as an inside forward produces more goals. But it’s evident why Semenyo’s outstanding physical attributes and work-rate off the ball would appeal so much to Amorim.

Semenyo is also ambipedal, meaning he is capable of playing with either foot to a high degree. This enables Iraola to utilise the 25-year-old on both wings with equal ease.

Amorim has shown a preference for ‘inverted’ wide players throughout his career as he believes it offers better passing angles and dribbling opportunities. But Semenyo would be able to thrive on either side for the Portuguese coach in Manchester – a level of flexibility the heavily left-footed Mbeumo could not match.

As such, David Ornstein reveals Amorim is “very fond” of the Bournemouth winger and United are actively exploring the conditions of a deal this summer. However, the club have also “held talks” with Brentford over a move for Mbeumo with goals a key point of consideration for Amorim after watching his forward line struggle acutely this season.

United’s budget will not stretch to both players after the agreement to sign Cunha was reached. And the decision over which one to play should come down to the role an existing star at Old Trafford will play next year – Amad.

Number Ten or Wing-back

Amad has been a rare ray of sunshine amidst a sea of darkness at Old Trafford this season.

The Ivorian international has firmly established himself as one of the best young wingers in England after an impressive campaign which saw him hit double figures in terms of goals and assists, despite being injured for nearly three months.

Amad’s technical ability is a joy to behold and his first touch could launch a thousand ships. But he balances it with an excellent work-rate out of possession that other forwards on the United pay roll could learn from. Hello Marcus and Jadon!

This has seen him win the trust of Amorim defensively and the 22-year-old winger has often been deployed at wing-back, despite his obvious talents going forward.

But Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system is heavily reliant upon attacking threat from the wing-back position. And it’s arguably proven one of the key areas of weakness given the current options in the United squad have failed to provide the Portuguese coach with what he needs.

A specialist was secured in January in the form of Patrick Dorgu – Lecce’s left wing-back signed on a deal worth an initial £25 million – but he is only 20 and will take time to adapt to the Premier League. His obvious physical talents are not matched by his technical ones either, though there are promising signs of improvement in this regard.

However, this still leaves the right wing-back slot up for debate. Neither Diogo Dalot nor Noussair Mazraoui offer the attacking outlet Amorim needs for his system to flourish, despite both defenders being strong squad options.

Amad is the best candidate for the role but there is a sense that you limit a player with such attacking grace and flourish by deploying him deeper on the pitch.

As a number ten, the 22-year-old is unburdened by the shackles defensive responsibility, free to roam around the opposition half to inflict maximum damage. There are few players in the Premier League who operate as well in tight spaces as Amad – a prerequisite to succeed as a number ten in Amorim’s system.

In this writer’s ideal world, Amad would play in Amorim’s front three on the right, joined by Cunha on the left with a new striker leading the line, and Bruno Fernandes operating from deep.

The prospect of these three stars feeding a number nine like Victor Osimhen is almost as exciting to ponder as it is pointless, given the Nigerian international looks increasingly unobtainable this summer. But this is the template United should aim for.

And in this scenario, there is only one choice between Semenyo and Mbeumo: the Bournemouth winger.

Semenyo offers a tantalising profile as a wing-back with an outstanding selection of attributes that make the Ghanaian ideally suited to the role.

He is physically imposing while retaining excellent mobility; he is as dominant off the ball as he is skilled on it; he offers the ability to play on either side with equal comfortability; he is a goal threat, even when operating from deeper on the pitch; and, above all, he is Premier League proven in a system that would mirror his position at Old Trafford.

If United want to sign an option to take over the right wing-back role, Semenyo is the best candidate on the market by a country mile. The fact he could also play at left wing-back only strengthens this argument as Dorgu continues to develop in the position.

However, goals are as important a consideration for the Red Devils this summer as any other. And if the club are unable to sign a new striker, given their pursuit of first-choice target Delap failed with a lack of viable alternatives, then a compromise may have to be reached with a different type of forward providing the goals.

In this scenario, United should target Mbeumo as the Brentford winger has even played up front for the Bees in recent years. He is a much more reliable goal-scorer than Semenyo with superior instincts in the box – traits desperately lacking at Old Trafford.

The price tag mooted for Mbeumo also lends itself to prioritising a move for the Cameroonian international as Brentford are believed to be willing to entertain offers worth around £50 million. Bournemouth, by comparison, are demanding in excess of £65 million for Semenyo.

A Conclusion

In conclusion, there are strong arguments for United to target either winger. The final decision will revolve around choices over budget, a new striker, and Amad’s best position in Amorim’s system.

This writer’s judgement is that Amad can become an even better option as a right-sided number ten than Mbeumo if the club puts their faith in the Ivorian. But Semenyo blows Amad out of the water as a wing-back in every conceivable way and this will be as true now as it is in five years time.

A right-hand side of Len Yoro at RCB, Semenyo at RWB, and Amad as RAM is much stronger and better balanced than the same line-up with Amad as wing-back and Mbeumo in the number ten role, though this is dependent on a number nine being secured this summer.

Therefore, despite the increased price, Semenyo would offer more to Amorim than Mbeumo in a key position of weakness in the United team; and in many ways, that is almost priceless.

Featured image Ryan Pierse via Getty Images

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