Omar Berrada has already explained why Manchester United will be patient amid Bryan Mbeumo delay

Omar Berrada has already explained why Manchester United will be patient amid Bryan Mbeumo delay

Man United chief executive Omar Berrada knows the club can ill-afford to repeat transfer errors of yesteryear.

Manchester United remain determined to sign Bryan Mbeumo. (Image: Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images. )

Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada has already outlined why the club will require time to get new signings through the door this summer amid the ongoing Bryan Mbeumo saga.

Despite opening talks with Brentford more than a month a go, United are yet to reach an agreement with their Premier League counterparts for the Cameroon international, meaning some supporters are beginning to get increasingly frustrated.

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United tabled an opening bid for Mbeumo in early-June, understood to be worth £55million, but it was swiftly rejected. They then made an improved offer in excess of £60m just over a fortnight ago.

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It appeared as though that second bid was going to be enough for Brentford to give United the green light to complete a deal for the attacker. However, negotiations remain ongoing amid claims the Bees are holding out for around £70m.

United made a flying start to the window last month, announcing they had reached an agreement with Wolves to sign Matheus Cunha for £62.5m just 14 hours after the window had opened on June 1. However, the task was made easier by the fact Cunha had a release clause in his contract.

United have been unable to rely on a release clause in their attempts to sign Mbeumo, meaning discussions have now been ongoing for over a month. Both the Reds and the forward are equally keen to get a deal done.

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However, with United desperate to strengthen in other areas this summer, they are at risk of losing time amid the length of time and effort it is taking to try and reach a breakthrough with Brentford.

After such a disappointing 2024/25 campaign, United desperately need to inject fresh blood into the squad this summer to give head coach Ruben Amorim the best possible chance of taking the club forward in the upcoming campaign. They want to sign a striker, a midfielder and a goalkeeper in addition to Mbeumo.

But with no European football to enjoy in 2025/26, revenue streams will be cut, meaning United are having to box clever. At the same time, though, they are having to tread a fine line between recruiting the right standard of players and not paying over the odds.

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Omar Berrada must balance the books. (Image: Rita Franca/NurPhoto via Getty Images. )

"He [Matheus Cunha] was an important one to get done," Berrada told United We Stand last month. "We're going to do our best to do more signings quickly.

"Sometimes when you're not quick, it's because you're negotiating and you're trying to make sure you get the right value for money. So being efficient or quick isn't necessarily the best thing for the club."

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After getting a deal for Cunha wrapped in next to no time, United immediately increased expectation levels when their interest in Mbeumo surfaced just over 24 hours later.

They set a target of signing the former Troyes star in time for the start of pre-season training and they failed to achieve that ambition. But as Berrada explained, United want to ensure they get value for money - and that is fair game.

They have got to be smart this summer and that is the balancing act they are currently facing. United know just how desperate both the fans and Amorim are for new signings, but they can't lose sight of the finances despite that increasing hunger.

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