Club pull out of the race to sign Bryan Mbeumo as deal for the Brentford star takes shock twist
The transfer saga surrounding Bryan Mbeumo has taken yet another dramatic twist this summer, with Tottenham Hotspur now reportedly withdrawing from the race to sign the in-demand Brentford forward — paving the way for Manchester United to make their move.
Mbeumo, 25, enjoyed a phenomenal 2024/25 campaign with the Bees, establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most dynamic attackers. The Cameroon international found the back of the net 20 times and contributed an additional nine assists across 42 appearances in all competitions. His performances have unsurprisingly attracted strong interest from top clubs across Europe, particularly within the Premier League.
With the transfer window now in full swing, speculation around Mbeumo’s future has intensified. Manchester United have been long-time admirers, but it was recently reported that Tottenham had entered the race — hoping that their new head coach, Thomas Frank, who managed Mbeumo during his rise at Brentford, could persuade the player to reject United’s advances and join him in North London.
However, the situation appears to have shifted rapidly. According to respected Transfer Insider Valentin Furlan, Tottenham have officially ended their pursuit of the Brentford star. Writing on social media, Furlan revealed:
“Spurs are OUT of the Bryan Mbeumo race, sources tell me and @RudyGaletti. As reported — the player has given his word to Manchester United.”
He added that negotiations between Brentford and Manchester United are progressing positively:
“Positive signs in the latest meeting between Manchester United and Brentford for Bryan Mbeumo, per me and @RudyGaletti. Personal terms agreed, parties now working on the fixed fee. As reported — Mbeumo only wants United.”
This development significantly boosts United’s hopes of securing the versatile forward, who can operate both on the wing and through the middle — a trait manager Ruben Amorim is reportedly keen on as he begins reshaping the squad following a woeful 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season.
Manchester United are expected to be one of the most active clubs in this summer’s transfer market as they seek to overhaul a squad that fell far short of expectations. They have already made a statement by signing Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha from Wolves for a hefty fee of £62.5 million — an early signal of intent from the club’s hierarchy.
But United are not done yet. In addition to Mbeumo, they are also tracking other attacking options to bolster their frontline. Portuguese striker Viktor Gyokeres, who has been prolific for Sporting CP, remains on their radar, as does young French talent Hugo Ekitike.
Nevertheless, competition for attacking reinforcements is fierce. Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool are all reportedly on the hunt for quality strikers this summer. According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, while Manchester United have already initiated direct contact with Eintracht Frankfurt over one of their targets, rivals such as Liverpool and Chelsea have so far only engaged with the player’s representatives — a sign that United are currently ahead in negotiations.
As things stand, all signs point to Bryan Mbeumo donning the famous red shirt at Old Trafford next season — assuming United can finalize a transfer fee with Brentford. With personal terms already agreed and the player reportedly set on joining the Red Devils, this could be one of the first major pieces of business that reshapes Ruben Amorim’s new-look Manchester United.