Manchester United are reportedly refusing to overpay for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo and have supposedly identified the Premier League duo of Antoine Semenyo and Eberechi Eze as cheaper alternatives.
Ruben Amorim is set to be treated to a major squad overhaul this summer after the horrors of last season’s 15th-place Premier League finish. Following the arrival of Matheus Cunha, Mbeumo had widely been billed as United’s next recruit.
However, a deal has not been forthcoming. United have reportedly seen two bids for the Cameroon international rebuffed by Brentford. The Bees have already lost their manager and first-choice goalkeeper this summer, so are in no hurry to part ways with a forward fresh from racking up 20 top-flight goals last term.
Brentford are thought to be demanding as much as £70 million ($94.7 million) for the 25-year-old, upping the price after United’s £60 million ($81.2 million) bid. In years gone by the Red Devils may very well have been cajoled into meeting these swollen demands, yet ESPN claim that the club’s current chief executive Omar Berrada has set a firm upper limit on any bid for Mbeumo.
The report offers no figure but does name Bournemouth’s Semenyo and Crystal Palace starlet Eze as two of United’s alternative “options.”
Much like Mbeumo, Semenyo is thought to be a leading target for Tottenham Hotspur, who appear to be fishing in the same waters as United this summer.
The Bournemouth forward is not expected to be cheap and could have his price raised if a bidding war with Spurs ensues. Eze’s fee is thought to be fixed. A reported release clause in the England international’s contract would make him available for a total sum of £68 million ($92.2 million) made up of an initial fee of £60 million plus a further £8 million in add-ons.
Mbeumo scored more Premier League goals last season (20) than Semenyo (11) and Eze (eight) combined, while also providing seven assists. However, if the quality of chances taken and created is considered instead of blunt end product, both Eze (0.52) and Semenyo (0.44) averaged higher expected goal and assist tallies than Mbeumo (0.42) last term.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd Make Bryan Mbeumo Decision, Two ‘Alternative Options’ Named.