Man United enter direct talks with Brentford to sign Bryan Mbeumo | OneFootball

Manchester United have opened “club-to-club talks” with Brentford over a deal for Bryan Mbeumo, according to Ben Jacobs.

Mbeumo, 25, has emerged as a key target for United this summer as the club focuses on reinforcements for Ruben Amorim’s misfiring attack.

A deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha has already been struck after United triggered the £62.5 million release clause in the 26-year-old forward’s contract at Molineux.

United had hoped to follow this up with a pursuit of Liam Delap but the Ipswich Town striker rejected their advances in favour of a move to Chelsea.

But the club have wasted little time in moving down their list of targets with Mbeumo offering a profile Amorim has demanded United prioritise this summer – players with Premier League pedigree and proven goal-scorers.

The Cameroonian international has returned 28 goals for Brentford this season (20 goals and eight assists) with only Mohammed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland scoring more in the Premier League.

Mbeumo has firmly established himself as one of the division’s most effective wingers, while retaining the versatility to play as a striker or as a wing-back, having played as both under Thomas Frank in recent years.

The 25-year-old has a year left on his deal at the Gtech Community Stadium but Brentford retain the option to extend this by twelve months. This gives the West London club the ability to remain firm in any negotiations this summer over an exit for their attacking talisman.

Initially, a fee of around £50 million had been reported to be sufficient to sign Mbeumo. But Brentford are now believed to want in excess of £60 million, with the Bees pointing towards the deal for Cunha – a player with less experience in England and less goals than Mbeumo (15 vs 20) – as justification for their market valuation.

A host of the Premier League’s biggest clubs, including Arsenal, Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur, have joined United in the race for the winger but he has signalled his intention to prioritise a move to Old Trafford after negotiations with United executives.

As a result, the Red Devils have now entered “club-to-club talks with Brentford” with hope that a “lower fee is possible, especially with Mbeumo keen on the move,” Jacobs reveals.

Tweet: “Manchester United are now in club-to-club talks with Brentford over Bryan Mbeumo. No bid yet. £50m+ required as Mbeumo has a one-year option Brentford can trigger, alongside the 12 months left on his current deal, meaning they don’t feel under pressure to sell.

Brentford currently using £62.5m Cunha fee as a valuation yardstick but #MUFC believe a lower fee is possible, especially with Mbeumo keen on the move.”

However, Brentford are smooth operators in the transfer market despite retaining a practical approach which acknowledges their star players will eventually leave the club. They will drive a hard bargain in the process and so a deal will likely be closer to the £60 million mark than the £50 million fee United had initially hoped to pay.

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