As part of Manchester United’s summer spending spree exceeding £200 million, Bryan Mbeumo has made a transfer to Old Trafford in an effort to enhance the team’s performance in the attacking third.
The Red Devils managed to score only 44 league goals in the 2024/25 season, with the Cameroonian contributing 20 goals in the Premier League alone last season – representing 45% of the team’s total goals.
Although he came at a significant cost, with a transfer fee of £71 million including add-ons, he brings the necessary top-flight experience to revitalize the squad following last year’s disappointing performance.
The 26-year-old has already made an impressive start with his new team, netting twice in his first four matches – including a goal in the recent league encounter against Burnley at the Theatre of Dreams.
Should Mbeumo aim for further achievements during his tenure at United, he is likely to shine alongside a player who has consistently been a positive force despite the team’s struggles in recent years.
Bruno Fernandes’ time at Manchester United
Following his high-profile transfer from Sporting CP in the winter of 2020, no supporter of United could have predicted the extraordinary level of performance that Bruno Fernandes would deliver.
The Portuguese international came in as a relatively unknown figure to many, yet he swiftly demonstrated his abilities, netting 12 goals and providing eight assists in his initial 22 matches for the club.
Since his inaugural season, the 30-year-old has consistently improved at Old Trafford, amassing a total of 99 goals across 254 appearances for the Red Devils.
Bruno has also assumed the captaincy under various managers, underscoring his significance to the team and the trust placed in him to restore the club to its former glory.
Despite the setbacks experienced under Amorim last season, the midfield unit still flourished, accumulating a combined total of 37 goals and assists – the highest of any player in the squad by a considerable margin.
He has remained a persistent creative force, increasing his goal tally and maintaining his status as the player with the most completed through balls in Europe since the 2022/23 season – surpassing the tallies of Kevin de Bruyne and Martin Odegaard.
There is no doubt that he ranks among the finest acquisitions ever made by the recruitment team, alongside another player who has similarly excelled at the club.
The United star who’s been the best signing since Bruno
United has been recognized for engaging in some dubious transfer dealings over the past few years, which has certainly played a role in their decline.
Players such as Casemiro, Antony, and Rasmus Hojlund all joined the Red Devils in transactions valued at £70m or more, yet none have consistently left a positive mark on the fanbase.
The latter two of this pair both left the club during the final moments of the transfer window, further highlighting the poor decisions made by the board in recent seasons.
Conversely, the same cannot be said for defender Noussair Mazraoui, as the Moroccan international has established himself as a crucial player since his arrival a year ago.
The Red Devils acquired his services for only £12.7m from Bayern Munich, making him one of the more economical signings made by Erik ten Hag during his tenure in Manchester.
This acquisition now seems to be a brilliant decision, as the 27-year-old concluded the 2024/25 season with 57 appearances across all competitions – the highest of any player in the first-team squad.
He played in multiple positions including wing-back, full-back, and centre-back, demonstrating his versatility which rendered him a vital component of Amorim’s system.
| Noussair Mazraoui – Man Utd PL stats (2024/25) | |
|---|---|
| Statistics (per 90) | Tally |
| Games played | 37 |
| Minutes played | 2848 |
| Pass accuracy | 86% |
| Dribbles completed | 60% |
| Tackles made | 2.2 |
| Tackle success rate | 60% |
| Cross success rate | 26% |
| Duels won | 6.8 |
| Stats via FotMob | |
Mazraoui has garnered significant admiration from various individuals within United, with numerous insiders asserting that the former Ajax star represents the best acquisition made by the club in several years.
His underlying statistics for the 2024/25 season further emphasize his remarkable beginning in England, prompting journalist Umir Irfan to describe the full-back as “incredible”.
The Moroccan achieved an average of 2.2 tackles per 90 minutes last season, successfully winning 60% of the dispossession attempts he engaged in – thereby demonstrating his exceptional capability when out of possession.
Additionally, he excelled with the ball, completing 86% of his attempted passes, while also succeeding in 60% of his dribbles, which enabled him to conclude the year with two assists despite primarily playing a defensive role.
Acquiring Mazraoui for £12.7m is an outstanding transaction, particularly when considering the previous players who failed to deliver despite their exorbitant transfer fees.
If he maintains such a performance level in the 2025/26 season, there is no reason he cannot be as pivotal as Bruno in the club’s pursuit of success in the near future.
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