Bryan Mbeumo: United ace handed fresh goalscoring target by ex-boss Almeida

In the 91st minute of Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against West Ham United, Bryan Mbeumo beat Adama Traore in a 70 metre race across the pitch. The Spaniard had come on a minute earlier; the Cameroonian had started the game and it was his 32nd sprint of the night!

Mbeumo’s ability to hit 34.37 km/h in the dying minutes of the game was a clear sign of a supreme athlete who has hit the ground running since making the move to Old Trafford last summer. The Red Devils were aiming for an attacking overhaul before the star of this season and after signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, turned their attention to Mbeumo.

The 26 year old was coming off a spectacular campaign with Brentford, scoring 20 goals in 42 games. The Bees extracted a premium fee for their prized asset, with United ending up agreeing to a £71 million deal for his signature. Half a season later, that is already looking like a fantastic investment.

Mbeumo has been a revelation so far and is one of United’s most important players this season. The Cameroonian has started every game in the Premier League and is also the Red Devils’ top scorer this campaign.

Mbeumo has found the back of the net 10 times and set up three more in 24 games in all competitions.

Source: Transfermarkt .

Mbeumo is also the Red Devils’ fastest player this campaign, registering a top speed of 36.3 km/h during the 1-1 draw against Fulham at the beginning of the season. Apart from his attacking threat, the Cameroonian’s work ethic has also endeared him to fans.

Mbeumo rose through the ranks at Troyes before breaking into the first team and subsequently earning a move to Brentford in the summer of 2019. Former Troyes manager Rui Almeida recently shed light on the player’s formative years in France.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News , Almeida challenged Mbeumo to improve his goalscoring output. He said: “It would be good for me to say that we knew at Troyes that he would become a top player, but I think it would be a little bit pretentious for me to say it.”

“Bryan had something because, of course, the things that I spoke about before, his talent to do it, he was strong, he really was fast already, he had the sense of the goal that we spoke about. However, I can say it in the other way. I can say that only some bad luck in his career could have prevented him from succeeding.”

“When he went to Brentford at the end of our season, I think it was the right step to go to the Championship. That is also a tough league, but it’s not the Premier League . Perhaps if he jumped from the French league to the Premier League , perhaps it would be a difficult move, and it wouldn’t have given him the space to grow.”

“I think the point now is, where is he now? He’s at a top club, and it’s a question of stats, to score more goals, because I think that is the goal now. Can he get to the 35/40-goal mark, to bring him to the top 10 or 15 players in the world?”

United have scored 48 goals in 27 Premier League games this season, while they managed just 44 goals in 38 games last campaign. Central to the attack’s resurgence has been a prolific Mbeumo, who has all the makings of an Old Trafford great.

The Cameroonian has operated on the right wing and as a central striker this season, and has consistently been a threat. If he can further increase his goalscoring output, fans will certainly be in for a treat.

Featured image by Michael Regan/Getty Images

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