Pardew says Man Utd signed a player who thinks he should be at Real Madrid, his ‘inner belief’ is off the charts

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·6 November 2025

Pardew says Man Utd signed a player who thinks he should be at Real Madrid, his ‘inner belief’ is off the charts

Alan Pardew has commended Manchester United’s decision to sign Premier League-proven players over the summer.

It’s a trick that’s unlikely to ever fail miserably, so long as the targets being scouted are consistently performing week to week.

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After seeing Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha spend the 2024/2025 campaigns as the undeniable talismans for their respective sides, Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers, United decided to swoop in and pinch the pair.

United’s summer deals: Cunha and Mbeumo move

(Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

One deal was considerably easier to negotiate than the other, as Cunha’s deal at Molineux included a £62.5 million release clause, which was inserted when he penned a new contract at the start of February.

United paid a lump sum upfront before pledging the rest in add-ons, making the Brazilian the first new face through the door at Old Trafford in June.

However, the Reds were certainly made to wait and work to prise Mbeumo from Brentford’s firm grasp.

United had two separate bids rejected for the forward, the second of which was the same amount that Cunha had been sold for: £62.5m.

It took until INEOS chiefs proposed an initial fee of £65m plus £5m in add-ons to twist the Bees’ board’s arms into accepting.

Luckily for United, Mbeumo had turned down interest from the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, making it clear he only had eyes for a move to the 20-time champions.

The Cameroonian international has since got off to a flying start, returning four goals and one assist in his first 10 top-flight appearances.

Cunha, on the other hand, might not have racked up the goal contributions in the same way his counterpart has, but he’s had an instant impact on the side’s attacking exploits and general play.

Pardew lauds Cuhnha and Mbeumo

Pardew told Sky Sports this week: “These guys (United’s summer signings), they kind of already had the confidence of the Premier League under their belt.

“And in Cunha, in particular, you know, you got a player who probably thinks he should be a player for Real Madrid. He has that kind of inner belief. And that’s what you need at those big clubs.

“And so, when he takes the ball, when he can, you know, he can link up with Fernandes, no problem. You know, they’re on the same wavelength. It’s just how he’s [Amorim] going to fit that puzzle together.

“At the moment, he’s still kind of tinkering with it, but in the end, he’ll get a solution and, hopefully, as I say, they’ll have a great season.”