Significant financial transfers have not been unfamiliar to Manchester United in recent years, as substantial amounts have been invested in various talents during the transfer windows.
Currently, the Red Devils’ record signing remains the £89m acquisition of Paul Pogba from Juventus in the summer of 2016, although the club has come alarmingly close to surpassing this figure in the latest transfer periods.
Antony was brought in during the tenure of Erik ten Hag, making his move to Old Trafford alongside the manager after several years under his guidance at Ajax in the Eredivisie.
The transfer for the Brazilian is likely to be remembered as one of the most disappointing in English football history, having netted only 12 goals in 96 matches for Manchester after his arrival for an eye-watering £86m.
The 25-year-old has since departed for a £19m transfer to Spanish club Real Betis, resulting in Ruben Amorim’s team incurring a £67m loss on the investment made in the summer of 2022.
Nevertheless, a new forward has arrived at the Theatre of Dreams, striving to evade a similar outcome as he aims to assist in restoring the club to its former prominence in the near future.
United’s move to land Bryan Mbeumo this summer
Significant financial transfers have not been unfamiliar to Manchester United in recent years, as substantial amounts have been invested in various talents during the transfer windows.
Currently, the Red Devils’ record signing remains the £89m acquisition of Paul Pogba from Juventus in the summer of 2016, although the club has come dangerously close to surpassing this figure in recent transfer periods.
Antony was brought in during the tenure of Erik ten Hag, making his move to Old Trafford alongside the manager after several years under his guidance at Ajax in the Eredivisie.
The transfer for the Brazilian is likely to be remembered as one of the most regrettable in English football history, having netted only 12 goals in 96 appearances for Manchester after his staggering £86m transfer fee.
The 25-year-old has since departed for a £19m transfer to Spanish club Real Betis, resulting in a £67m loss on the investment made in the summer of 2022.
Nevertheless, a new forward has arrived at the Theatre of Dreams, aiming to avoid a similar outcome as he strives to help restore the club to its former glory in the near future.
Following a disappointing 15th place finish in the Premier League for the 2024/25 season, significant changes were essential at United during the off-season to avert a repeat of such a performance.
Amorim promptly set about removing underperforming players from his first-team squad, thereby freeing up crucial wages to acquire new high-caliber talent to revitalize the club’s fortunes.
Bryan Mbeumo was among three major attacking reinforcements secured during the summer, arriving in a deal worth £71m, including potential add-ons.
The Cameroonian international scored 20 goals in the Premier League for Brentford last season, concluding the year as one of only five players to achieve this milestone in England’s top division.
While this addition is undoubtedly another costly investment by the club’s management, it has provided essential top-flight experience to the current squad, supporting their aspirations of climbing the league table.
At 26, he will be entering his prime years at Old Trafford, also having the opportunity to make himself a fan-favourite during any attempt of domestic and continental success.
Mbeumo has already made an immediate impact in 2025/26, scoring twice in his first four outings for the Red Devils – arguably being the biggest threat currently available to Amorim within the final third.
Whilst his early form in Manchester has given supporters a newfound sense of optimism, the hierarchy could’ve saved themselves millions had they put more faith in one talent who left a couple of years ago.
The former United star who is just like Mbeumo
The Ten Hag era at United was undoubtedly a tumultuous period, marked by significant achievements such as winning the FA Cup, yet also marred by a staggering 7-0 defeat to rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
His recruitment strategy in the transfer market was notably underwhelming, with substantial investments made in players who ultimately did not succeed in the Premier League, as evidenced by Antony’s time at the club.
Casemiro was another significant signing during his tenure, arriving from Real Madrid for a fee around £70m, despite being 30 years old at the time of his transfer to England.
Many of his departures also turned out to be errors, with the choice to sell Anthony Elanga for merely £15m being another misstep during his management.
The Swedish player progressed through the youth system at Old Trafford, making 55 appearances over a three-year span, although only 26 of those occurred during Ten Hag’s management.
He did not score a single goal in the 2022/23 season, which led to his eventual transfer to Nottingham Forest that summer, a move that propelled him to a higher level.
Elanga spent two years at the City Ground, accumulating 11 goals and 21 assists in 82 appearances, which ultimately helped the Reds reach Europe for the first time in thirty years, before transferring to Newcastle United in a £60m deal this summer.
One of his notable performances came against United last season, where he executed an astonishing 85-yard solo run that resulted in Nuno Espírito Santo’s team securing a 1-0 victory over Amorim’s squad.
Due to his performances, he was compared to new signing Mbeumo by FBref, managing to surpass the £71m player in several critical metrics.
The Swede achieved a superior shot accuracy rate on target in the 2024/25 season (55%), effectively capitalizing on the chances that came his way and showcasing his clinical finishing ability.
His superiority over the Cameroonian is further evidenced by his greater number of key passes per 90 minutes (1.9) and carries into the opposition’s penalty area per 90 minutes (2.7) – possessing the technical skill to create chaos for the opposing team.
This characteristic has been highlighted throughout Elanga’s career, with former Manchester United player Paul Parker once remarking that he resembles “a young Ryan Giggs” in his ability to advance with the ball.
Statistics such as 3.7 progressive carries per 90 minutes and 6.7 completed crosses per 90 minutes were also greater than those recorded by Mbeumo – further illustrating the persistent threat he poses in offensive positions.
Considering the lack of achievements from the United first team in recent years, the choice to permit Elanga’s departure now appears to be a significant error – particularly in light of his swift progress away from the Theatre of Dreams.
Without a doubt, there is considerable enthusiasm surrounding Mbeumo at this time, but the club might have been wiser to retain the Swede rather than investing additional resources in acquiring a new forward.
Leave a Reply