Man Utd have got recruitment wrong too often in recent years, but things are looking up after one deal in particular in the summer.
Robin van Persie’s heroics for Manchester United in his first season at Old Trafford won the club its last Premier League title. Bryan Mbeumo’s efforts might only be good enough for a return to the Champions League, but that doesn’t make his start to life at the club any less impactful.
A major reason United have gone 13 years without a Premier League title is their recruitment. It has been consistently underwhelming and has often lacked a clear, long-term strategy. One minute, there is a focus on superstars; the next, the plan is to target young domestic players.
Really, United should be just focusing on signing the best players available to strengthen their squad. Adding youth and bringing in players with their best years ahead of them is always ideal, with Senne Lammens a good example, but there also needs to be arrivals who can hit the ground running.
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That is exactly what Mbeumo has done. The £65million summer signing from Brentford is in the running for the club’s player of the year award, and is only likely to be denied that honour due to the brilliance of Bruno Fernandes.
Mbeumo is certainly United’s best signing since Fernandes, who joined from Sporting for an initial £47million in January 2020. Between them, they are leading the charge to get the club back in the Champions League.
The Cameroon international’s return of 10 goals in 22 games is impressive and even more eye-catching is who he has scored against. He has scored home and away against Tottenham and netted against Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal. More than half of his Premier League goals for United have been against their ‘big six’ rivals.
In the process, he became the first United player to score against City, Liverpool and Arsenal in his first season at the club since 2012/13. He is the first player to do it at any point in their United career since Marcus Rashford three seasons ago.
It’s difficult to understate Mbeumo’s impact. He is a versatile forward who has played as a No. 9 under Michael Carrick, as a No. 10 under Ruben Amorim, and on either wing, as he may do if Benjamin Sesko returns to the side. Whatever position he plays, he is delivering.
This should now be the template for United transfers. Ineos put a rather ambitious target of winning the league by 2028, and it’s pretty clear United look short of that at the moment.
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The good news is that there is suddenly no outstanding club to catch. The days of Manchester City and Liverpool racking up points totals in the high 90s are over and don’t look like returning any time soon.
City are in transition, and Pep Guardiola could depart this summer, which would only add to the unpredictability at the Etihad. Liverpool are in a similar situation under Arne Slot. Arsenal could end their long title drought this season, but under Mikel Arteta, they aren’t in the same league as City and Liverpool were at their peak.
United still have significant improvements to make, however. But in Mbeumo, they have an idea of what their new signings should be able to achieve.
The 26-year-old has helped to transform the attack this season. This summer, the focus will turn to midfield. In trying to replace Casemiro and bring in two new midfielders, United need players who can make the same kind of immediate impact.
That is the only way they are going to achieve that ambition of winning the league, whether it takes two years or a little longer. Recruitment is the most important aspect of achieving success in football, and while United have got it wrong for years, there is an obvious example now of how they can get it right.
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